Plum experience?

[Michael C.]

I've seen a few threads about plum on here but not any photos of bows after someone mentions they have some plum to work with. I think I found some variety of plum but I'm not sure if it is, they were small fruit about the size of the tip of a thumb and purple. I'm going to try and get out and take a few photos when I get back from vacation but thought I would ask.

[Pat B]

Could be a crab apple also but either should make a good bow.

[Michael C.]

Couple of phone photos my buddy took.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Michael C.]

I don't think it's crab apple, at least the species that I have seen before. The fruit is a lot smaller than I have seen on those unless it's because of the location of the trees, it was sort of a bottom lands type area. Lots of water, reeds and such. Most of the fruit on the trees looked to be smaller than most grapes, those bunches you see are about three inches across if that.

Any ideas on how long to let it season at bow size? Does plum usually dry in a few months if you get it down like most other woods?

[Badger]

Plum is a great bow wood, I just finished one. But you cannot rush seasoning it as you might other white woods, very bad about checking. A lot of woods you can rough out a bow and it won't check if thin enough. You can rough out a plum stave but you need to seal it each time you set it down or it will crack badly.

[acker]

Looks like Blackthorn to me (Prunus spinosa) , or some kind of it.
Like Badger said , it's a pain in the ....  for seasoning.
Thats a very dense wood with a beautiful collore.



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Michael C.]

Thank you for the replies, I will have to try a few staves for seasoning tests. I'll post what I find out in a few months to see how it's going.