Busy Beltane!

I was doing my bow making demo at the Beltane festival. I took my camera but was so busy I didn't take any pics.
There was a constant stream of people asking questions and kids having a go with a spokeshave. I took along a twisted stave of Hazel and managed to make it into a 50# at 26" draw bow. I pretty much ignored the twist and one tip is at about 45 degrees.
I'll take some pic on Thursday and then clean it up and see what I can make of it.
It has only served to enhance my opinion of Hazel and also the fact that we don't need to be so obsessed with getting a perfect stave.
The most common question was 'how long does it take to make a bow?' Always a difficult question to answer, but self evidently I can make something that shoots in a day even with all the chat.
There was a reasonable audience during the final tillering and I think I did a good job of showing the process.

There was plenty of other stuff going on and a lovely display of Corvids from http://www.ravenhaven.co.uk/, including a very handsome Raven and a charming Jackdaw.

The have-a-go archer was very popular too and I let a couple of people have a go with my primitive crossbow. Once again I failed to get a nice pic of one of the Celtic ladies kitted out for battle, crossbow in hand.
By the end of the day I'd shot my bolt and was tired and hungry.
My family will vouch for my 'tired and hungry' usually being accompanied by grumpiness. My daughter turned up in her little white Suzuki Carry van 'Binky' to pick me and my equipment, she had a good look round a shot one of my bows while she was there.

I've had another request to reduce the draw weight of a bow from 70# to 60#. Not one of my bows so I wouldn't normally do it, but as it's one of the guys from the club and there's a couple of bottles of Italian Red in it for me I felt I could bend my principals a tad.
Pics on Thurs!