Author Topic: Sycamore: Sapwood or Heartwood?  (Read 1906 times)

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Offline stone-over

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  • rock-climber, jeweler, bowyer, student.
Sycamore: Sapwood or Heartwood?
« on: April 07, 2011, 06:02:12 pm »
Hey everyone, I'm new to bowyering, and I'm in the process of getting TBB but until then, maybe I can get a couple answers from yous guys. I recently got a few nice pieces of sycamore, do I use the sapwood or the heartwood? Thanks!


-Mike D
"Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before"

                                                             -Zeppelin

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Sycamore: Sapwood or Heartwood?
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2011, 06:13:54 pm »
I thought sycamore was all sapwood.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Sycamore: Sapwood or Heartwood?
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2011, 06:20:17 pm »
There is no real heartwood in sycamore. So there's no way to follow it either ;)
Just remove the bark, and there's the back of the bow. Be careful not to scratch the wood directly underneath the bark when your remove it or cut the tree.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline stone-over

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  • Posts: 16
  • rock-climber, jeweler, bowyer, student.
Re: Sycamore: Sapwood or Heartwood?
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2011, 08:51:16 pm »
Well alright, thanks fellas.
"Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before"

                                                             -Zeppelin