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Small diameter maple

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WhistlingBadger:
I'm thinking about harvesting some Rocky Mountain maple this coming spring.  These are small diameter trees--4" would be a nice, big one.  How would you work these?  Strip the bark and use the sapwood as a back, or chase a ring to heartwood?

Pat B:
I haven't used RM maple but I'd guess you would use it as a sapwood bow. Peel the bark and build a bow. If it is 4" in diameter I'd leave the bark on for now, split or saw it in half, lengthwise, seal the ends and bind them back together with spacers between for good airflow. I've done this with osage as small as 2" in diameter. For 2" to 3" I would only make one bow from each pole by removing wood from the belly side of the bow limbs. For small diameter staves with a high crown make the belly flat...and make them a longer bow. 66" or more for a 28" draw.

George Tsoukalas:
Good advice from Pat. Consider harvesting it in the growing season so the bark will peel of easily. I assume it is like other maples. Jawge

WhistlingBadger:
OK, thanks guys.  For a high crowned stave would it work to decrown and back with rawhide?

These are probably dumb questions, but bow woods are so rare around here that I want to understand as much as I can before I start whacking down trees.

Pat B:
I've only decrowned a few bows but if you do be sure the grain lines run parallel with the limbs and do back it with rawhide.  If you leave the crown high be sure you make the belly flat.

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