Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Frode on January 08, 2010, 10:37:34 pm
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Hi all,
I live in one of those "virtual stave deserts" one of the TBB volumes spoke of, so for starters I've been working with boards. Maple and red oak so far, but I can also get aspen, walnut and cherry. I can also get mahogany, but I've read here that it is unsatisfactory for bows. I've also read of cherry staves and backed walnut, but what about these boards? I can find some with very straight grain, but are they (aspen, walnut, or cherry boards) even suitable? I don't have any particular weight or style in mind, whatever works best with the wood.
Your input is much appreciated,
Frode
PS Ironically, come Spring, several people I know have volunteered to bring me straight saplings of just about anything you can imagine, from mulberry to ash to... :-\
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What area are you in Frode?
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Indianapolis, or close enough to call it that. :)
Frode
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No osage, black locust, oak or hickory in Indy? Maple and hickory boards are good. Jawge
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you should be able to find hickory,not?
other wise i would go with the walnut,back it with something,or maple.
avoid aspen,its a soft wood i believe,all i know around here when a buttrerfly flaps its wings aspen trees fall apart
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No osage, black locust, oak or hickory in Indy? Maple and hickory boards are good. Jawge
you should be able to find hickory,not?
other wise i would go with the walnut,back it with something,or maple.
avoid aspen,its a soft wood i believe,all i know around here when a buttrerfly flaps its wings aspen trees fall apart
So far, I've only found one source for some of those, but most all of their selection would make beautiful chairs and terrifying bows :o
I should say, there are lots of trees around, and some that look pretty good, but not mine to cut. :(
Do you think linen would be sufficient, or rather another wood?
Frode
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i had the same problem here in mn.
trying to find a good hick board at a box store was a bear
i finally just started looking for local sawmills and man oh man i couldnt believe the selection of woods and every imaginable cut too
i drove 125 miles one way,but for $40 i got enough for 6 good hick board bows
next time i go im getting more hick and some ashe and some of whatever looks good
i would just ask around for local sawmills an avoid box stores
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frode there is nothing wrong with red oak or maple. both make great bows. cherry will make a good bow too but it needs to be backed. if you have a good really straight grained maple board you can resaw a backing for the cherry. i have had iffy results with walnut. it also needs to be backed. You might try looking up hardwood lumber retailers on google or yahoo in the indy area. I bet you'll find some.
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Aspen makes excellent arrows! ;)
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i feel guilty about posting a link to a competing board, but i'm at work, so i can't post the neutral ground version of this i usually do:
this is tim baker's take on Aspen, and a buncha other wood for a bow.
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/6213/t/List-of-Potenial-Bow-Wood-Species-With-Comments.html
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i feel guilty about posting a link to a competing board, but i'm at work, so i can't post the neutral ground version of this i usually do:
this is tim baker's take on Aspen, and a buncha other wood for a bow.
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/6213/t/List-of-Potenial-Bow-Wood-Species-With-Comments.html
Thanks Innocente, I'll be rereading that post several more times!
frode there is nothing wrong with red oak or maple. both make great bows...
Yeah, I know, I'm just getting antsy in the cold, looking at all the beautiful not oak bows you all are doing :-\. I actually really like the way the maple I can get here works, but I will definitely start trying to find some new sources.
Thanks,
Frode
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i had the same problem here in mn.
trying to find a good hick board at a box store was a bear
i finally just started looking for local sawmills and man oh man i couldnt believe the selection of woods and every imaginable cut too
i drove 125 miles one way,but for $40 i got enough for 6 good hick board bows
next time i go im getting more hick and some ashe and some of whatever looks good
i would just ask around for local sawmills an avoid box stores
Good point, sailordad! I'm only three hours from Chicago and two and a half from Cincinnati, and only an hour or so from Bloomington (where I'm from, originally). Some of those holler folk I grew up with ought to be able to set me up with something shootable! ;D Heck, my brother lives down in the woods down there, I should call him!
Thanks,
Frode
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Make friends with some arborists and landscapers, then pray for an ice storm. >:D
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Buy a ninja suit and a folding pruning saw, then set your alarm for 3:00 am. >:D
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Indiana osage is some of the best you can find. I would sure put the word out, a lot of farmers are happy to be rid of it. Steve
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My favorite bow is a maple board bow. I've never tried it but I'm sure you could make a great maple backed cherry or walnut bow. Both would be wicked sweet looking as an elb. If I'm not mistaken I believe that cherry will work well for a belly wood but walnut may give you some fretting problems. Good luck!
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i really like the way maple/walnut looks & shoots, i think it's a well balanced combo- fairly low mass & good elasticity (in my experience), but i haven't made any that were as fast as the maple/cherry that snapped in two at the handle two months ago after at least 500 arrows. :(
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Frode. I have a neighbor that owns a small saw mill. He is all the time cutting diferent types of wood. What is nice is, that he can cut them like 2"x 2" 72" long. I live in Illinois, so i know he cuts oaks, hickory, walnut, hedge(osage), cherry, maples, hackberry, locust, you name it, and if its Illinois, he may have a tree trunk laying around to cut. I told him one time that he should start cutting left overs for riser blocks, limb laminations, and board bows. I think he can cut hickory backings also. I don't know how thin he can make them. He said he would if the demand was there. I don't have any idea what he would charge for something like that, but could maybe find out.
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I've built stave bows from wallnut and cherry.I don't see why these would
n't make makes nice backed bows.
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Indiana osage is some of the best you can find. I would sure put the word out, a lot of farmers are happy to be rid of it. Steve
Badger, you mean plain old hedgeapple (that's what we always called it) is that osage? I guess I always thought the osage used in bows was something more exotic. Now that you mention it, I do recall farmers I knew calling it a nuisance.
Frode. I have a neighbor that owns a small saw mill. He is all the time cutting diferent types of wood. What is nice is, that he can cut them like 2"x 2" 72" long. I live in Illinois, so i know he cuts oaks, hickory, walnut, hedge(osage), cherry, maples, hackberry, locust, you name it, and if its Illinois, he may have a tree trunk laying around to cut. I told him one time that he should start cutting left overs for riser blocks, limb laminations, and board bows. I think he can cut hickory backings also. I don't know how thin he can make them. He said he would if the demand was there. I don't have any idea what he would charge for something like that, but could maybe find out.
Bentstick, interesting! I know it'll be awhile before I'll be using any volume of things like backings (but who knows with addictions like this one), but that's good to know. Maybe there are enough bowyers (and noobs like me :D) in our area to make it worthwhile? Wouldn't hurt to ask.
The more I read here, the more I see that backings can make all kinds of things possible. So much to try...
Thanks everyone,
Frode
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frode, yup plain ol' hedgeapple thats the stuff,osage
good stuff wish i had access to it
without having to buy or trade for it
now go hit up them farmers in the spring and start making shavings ;)
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Frode,
You know I build mine from "boards" sort-of....I have no heartburn with walnut at all. Haven't hacked into any cherry YET but heres a couple picks of walnut bows...no backing, no heat, and no belly failures. Walnut may not be the Ferrari in the stable but it makes a sound, dependable, hard hitting hunting bow.
half eye
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Frode, yup. That's why I was taken aback when you said you were in a wood desert in Indy. LOL. BTW nothing wrong with red oak. It is a very h=good wood. Good in boards. I hate ash. :) Jawge
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frode, yup plain ol' hedgeapple ...
now go hit up them farmers in the spring and start making shavings ;)
Will do, plus it's always a bonus to make something from somebody else's "trash".
Frode,
You know I build mine from "boards" sort-of....I have no heartburn with walnut at all. Haven't hacked into any cherry YET but heres a couple picks of walnut bows...no backing, no heat, and no belly failures. Walnut may not be the Ferrari in the stable but it makes a sound, dependable, hard hitting hunting bow.
half eye
Very nice, half eye, very nice! Those mollegabets are really starting to grow on me.
Frode
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i'm in indy, too, so i can tell you that we have good woods available, but getting them can be tricky! most often i just keep my eyes open for trees downed by storms, being cut down for one reason or another, (construction sites are a good source!) or doing cold knocking on doors. (sir/ma'am, would you be willing to allow me to cut down and clear the mess from that tree in your fence? no, really, i'll do it for free!)