Guava

[Nasr]

I just got some Guava logs and the plan is to strip the bark and seal the ends and back with shellac. When the time comes and these logs are seasoned properly do you chase a ring with Guava. I think i might quick dry a couple staves as well.  This is my first time working with guava.

[sleek]

If its a white wood, just peel the bark. If its hard wood, chase a ring. I know if one other person to use Guava, he is on this site, can't recall his name, hopefully he sees this thread.

[Nasr]

My search doesnt turn up much about guava other than it being a good bow wood.

So hopefully someone can answer these questions for me if possible.

1. Should i chase a ring with guava
2. Ive read from the little information online that it likes to be long even with a flatbow design. With that being said how long for a 27inch draw stiff handle 50#?
3. How wide should i start with the limbs?I was thinking of starting out a rough bow shape of 2" wide to force dry a stave or two and now i am worried that isnt wide enough. Which is confusing as the wood seems pretty dense.

And since this seems to be a bow wood with little information ill post my results hopefully when i am done.7

Thanks

[Badger]

   I treat it just like it is hickory. Just remove the bark and you are fine.

[willie]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,3209.msg45291.html#msg45291

if you look at mannys/nomadic pirate's profile page you can see all his posts

[Hamish]

I would still seal the back if the wood is freshly cut. It's a pretty dense wood, and can crack, if the outside dries too quickly.

I would stay away from quick drying. Just rough it out into a bow layout with wide tips, and floor tiller. Clamp it to a form, with some reflex if you want, and it will dry pretty quickly. Force drying works well with mid weight Northern hemisphere wood, but is usually too quick for denser woods.
2" is way too wide from memory, most bows from guava I have seen were more like 1.5" or less.

Its diffuse porous so it doesn't have typical rings like oak, ash , osage etc. Wood  under the bark is fine.

[Nasr]

I see that helps a lot. I will seal the back as well but might still play around with force drying the wood just to see if i can get away with it. But I think i will first wait a week after roughing it out to floor tiller that way i get as much of that moisture out as i can. I have 3 logs with maybe 6-8 staves ill sacrifice one for science 😂 science = lack of patience

[Stickhead]

I scored some strawberry guava a few years back, and made my current hunting bow from it.  Like many have said, just remove the outer bark to get your back.  It’s a very dense wood, maybe even moreso than Osage.  It responds fairly well to heat bending.  It’s strong in tension - I was able to get 75# at 26” and it has held up just fine.  I stained this one walnut-colored, but it started out pretty white.  Makes for an excellent shooter!

[Nasr]

I scored some strawberry guava a few years back, and made my current hunting bow from it.  Like many have said, just remove the outer bark to get your back.  It’s a very dense wood, maybe even moreso than Osage.  It responds fairly well to heat bending.  It’s strong in tension - I was able to get 75# at 26” and it has held up just fine.  I stained this one walnut-colored, but it started out pretty white.  Makes for an excellent shooter!

Thank you for that stickhead can you tell me how wide that limb is and how long. I am glad to hear it responds to heat i was a little worried about that.

[Stickhead]

I scored some strawberry guava a few years back, and made my current hunting bow from it.  Like many have said, just remove the outer bark to get your back.  It’s a very dense wood, maybe even moreso than Osage.  It responds fairly well to heat bending.  It’s strong in tension - I was able to get 75# at 26” and it has held up just fine.  I stained this one walnut-colored, but it started out pretty white.  Makes for an excellent shooter!

Thank you for that stickhead can you tell me how wide that limb is and how long. I am glad to hear it responds to heat i was a little worried about that.

It’s 64” NTN, 1-3/4” wide, tapering evenly down to 3/8”.  This was a narrow log, only 2-1/2” in diameter, hence the high crown and the hollow limb design.

[Nasr]

Thank you for that information I was a little worried that I may be going to narrow too start with even though the staves are pretty dense. I'm only shooting for 45 lb 50 lb maybe a little bit over so when the bow is complete most likely I'll be under 1.75 inches probably closer to 1.5.

[Stickhead]

Thank you for that information I was a little worried that I may be going to narrow too start with even though the staves are pretty dense. I'm only shooting for 45 lb 50 lb maybe a little bit over so when the bow is complete most likely I'll be under 1.75 inches probably closer to 1.5.

Sounds promising.  Good luck!