Article: There are a few things to consider when selecting raw wood for your bow: Find a piece of dry and dead (but not gray or cracking) hardwood (such as oak, lemon tree, hickory, yew, black locust, teak, ash, juniper, or madrono) about 1.8 meters (about 6 feet) [or as tall as you may be] in length. The wood should be free of knots, twists or limbs, and it would be helpful if the branch is thick at its center. This piece of wood should be somewhat flexible, such as juniper or mulberry. You can even use a shaft of bamboo or cane but take care that it is not too thick. For that, you can use young bamboo which is strong as well as flexible. Green wood (living wood that you cut from a tree or sapling) can be used if absolutely necessary but should be avoided because it does not provide the same power as dry wood. Every piece of wood will have a natural curve, no matter how slight. As you construct the bow, this curve will determine where you place its main features. To find the curve, place your wood on the ground, with one hand holding it in place at the top. With your other hand, press lightly against its middle. It will swivel so that its natural belly faces you, and its back faces out. These parts are essential to the shaping process. To find the handhold, make marks three inches above and below the center point of the bow. Anything within these marks is the handhold, above them is the upper limb, and below is the lower limb. Place the bottom end of the bow on your foot, and one hand atop the bow. With your other hand, press outward, the belly facing you. Use this exercise to catalog where the bow is flexible and where it is not. Using a knife or similar tool, shave wood off the unyielding spots on the belly only, until both the upper and lower limbs curve similarly to each other. Check your progress frequently. When both limbs are more flexible and are mirror images of each other in curve and diameter, you are ready for the next step. You want the bow to be strongest (thickest) at the handhold. Be careful to only carve from the belly. An inordinate amount of pressure is exerted on the back of the bow, and even the slightest damage to its structure can promote breakage. Use your knife to cut notches that begin at the sides and curve around toward the belly of the bow and in toward the handhold as they go. There should be one on each side about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) from each end of the bow. Remember not to cut into its back, and do not make the notches deep enough to compromise the strength of the tips. Make them just deep enough to hold the string in place. The string should not be stretchy, as the power comes from the wood, not the string. If you are stranded in the wilderness, it may be difficult to find a suitable string, and you may need to try a variety of materials before you find one that has the necessary strength. Some bowstring material possibilities are: rawhide thin nylon rope hemp cord fishing line strands of cotton or silk from caterpillars ordinary twine . You will need to tie a loose loop with a very secure knot at both ends of your bowstring before slipping it over the lower, and then upper, limb of your bow. Make your string slightly shorter than the length of your unflexed bow, so that both bow and string are taut. Hang it upside down by the handhold from a tree branch or something similar so that you can pull downward on the string. Pull downward slowly, checking to make sure that the limbs bend evenly and carving away wood as required, until you can pull it as far down as the distance between your hand and your jaw (arm fully extended out from shoulder).
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Choose a long piece of wood for the bow. Determine the natural curve of the stick. Determine the handhold and limbs. Shape the bow. Cut notches to hold the bow string. Select a bow string. String the bow Tiller the bow.
Article: If your biological parents both know their blood type, that narrows down the possibilities. In most cases this is only enough to guess, using an online blood type calculator or the following list: If your physician already has your blood type on file, then you just need to ask. However, they will only have your record on file if you've already had your blood drawn and/or tested. Common reasons why you may have already had your blood type tested include: Pregnancy Surgery Organ donations Blood transfusion If you don't want to visit a doctor or donate blood, you can find a home test kit online or at a pharmacy for as little as US $10. These typically instruct you to dampen various labeled patches on a special card, then prick your finger and add a little blood to each patch. Make sure to follow the kit instructions when adding the blood. Note which patches (or vials of fluid, in some kits) cause the blood to clump (agglutinate) instead of spreading out. The clumping is a reaction to substances incompatible with your blood type. Once you've completed the test with all cards or fluids, look up your blood type using the kit instructions or the following list:
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Ask your parents for their blood type. Call a doctor who has drawn your blood. Buy a blood typing kit.
Article: If you want to store the puree for a longer period, freezing it is a great option. Use a silicone ice cube tray to make it easier to pop out the puree once it's frozen. Each ice cube tray makes about 1 ounce (28g) of baby food, which is about how much your baby will eat at once. Pop the covered ice cube trays into the freezer, making sure to keep them level so the puree doesn't get frozen to the covering. Leave them alone for 2-3 hours or overnight to ensure they're completely frozen through. Try sticking a toothpick into a puree cube. If it easily pushes into the center, the puree is still soft. If it can't penetrate the puree, chances are it is completely frozen. As long as your freezer stays at 0F (18C), the puree should technically be good indefinitely, but the flavor of the puree will decline over time.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Pour the puree into ice cube trays to freeze baby-sized portions. Freeze the ice cube trays for several hours. Use frozen puree within 3-6 months of freezing it for the best quality.