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Longbow Tech Question
Prarie Bowyer:
It's sold as plantation grown "Lyptus". What is this resource ? Perhaps I could save myself some frustration by checking it in the future. I went from loving the wood, to hating it and am coming back around.
It bends nice, and is light weight but rigid. I think there will be little memory. I'm considering using it as a core. I'm attempting slavaging the bow by splitting it, shaving the Lyptus down to a thin lamination between bamboo. One limb tip literaly twists when drawn in both previous attempts. I think it's a grain thing. I shaved it thin and made a hickory splice to add in to the tip. Between that and the two layers of bamboo the tip should stop rotating. I'm also considering flipping the tip on glue up this time. Not alot obviously.
CraigMBeckett:
Plantation grown "Lyptus" means nothing to me, Where is it grown? I believe that very few Eucalyptus species were taken abroad for planting. I believe one of the favorites for such was Blue Gum or Sydney Blue gum because it grows fairly rapidly and straight. If it is this wood I have heard of people successfully making bows out of it. Its figures (density, Modulus of rupture and Modulus of elasticity, at 850 Kg/m3, 149 Mpa and 18 Gpa are similar to Pignut Hickory 817, 139 and 16 but, and its a big but, most Australian species are known to vary as to usability based on where they were grown and the local micro-climate.
If the bow is working why change it?
Craig.
Prarie Bowyer:
Well I had two fail on the tree. It SEEMS to be ok for some applications. Thin laminations that are gently flexed and trapped between other layers (trying that now). Heat bending. NO, won't do it.
I was liking the feeling and action of the bows right up to the point where they broke. they didn't so much break as they developed this sort of crushed crack looking thing completely cross grain all the way to the bamboo backing.
CraigMBeckett:
Sorry to hear of the failure.
Craig.
Prarie Bowyer:
It wont stand up to being a core either turns out. I did a sandwich of it between bamboo backings and belly. It broke right down it's length. There was Lyptus stuck to both pieces of boo. I went back to the store to get a different wood and spoke to the "guy". He said he dosent use it either. It's supposed to be a replacement for mahogany but not as good. It's grown fast on plantations and aparently is only just slower than bamboo.
Starting over with hickory.
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