Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: turmoiler on December 21, 2010, 11:48:24 am
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Hi friends,
after reading the topics about white oak backings I wanted to give it a try so I went to a friend's wood shop and got for free a nice piece of white oak 4cm wide +200cm long and 1'5 cm thick. It has one of the straightest grain patterns I've seen but I'm concerned about two things.
First all allong the boar d is marked wuth downwarding dark stripes, you can see them here:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/turmoiler/DSCN0122.jpg)
They run diagonally all through the board. Should I be worried about this?
And second, in some parts of theboard there are some marks like swirls:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/turmoiler/DSCN0119.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/turmoiler/DSCN0120.jpg)
Should I be concerned about this?
My second question is about a piece of wood that I've found at the same place. I don't know what kind of wood it is. The color is reddish brown, the grain is very apparent with tiny cracks and hollows in it and it doesn't stain. It is heavy and hard (It can't be marked with my hand nails). I've seen it used in benches and flooring. I know it is not ipe or bangkirai. Maybe you know what is it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/turmoiler/DSCN0133.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/turmoiler/DSCN0124.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/turmoiler/DSCN0123.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/turmoiler/DSCN0131.jpg)
Sergio.
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THAT WHITE OAK LOOKS A HECK OF A LOT MORE LIKE RED OAK THAN WHITE OAK TO ME BROCK
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Turmoiler,
I can't help with the exotic wood identification, but the white oak looks mighty fine to me. The little black lines look a lot like some of my white oak that has been air dried and I've had no trouble with it. As for the "swirly looking figure" that's exactly why the furniture makers used the fully quartersawn wood.....to get that pattern. I've never had an issue with that either, especially as a backing.
The only bit of advice is that if the the dark streaks have you the least bit worried then use that side for the glue line. It sounds like your worried the lines might be drying checks, so by gluing that side to the bow you would essentially be putting that side on the "compression" side of the board. Hope that's a bit better and clearer than mud?
That white oak looks exactly like all the pieces that I use, and have put away right now.
rich
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I think I have some of that tropical wood, but i am not sure what it is. It may be Makoré (Mimusops Heckelii), Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa), or Cumaré (Cerejeira). These are just guesses, I'm quite sure someone will know what it is.
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Thanks for the help, I'm going to try an oak backed ipe soon.
Respecting the tropical wood it seems that it is cerejeira. Is this wood suitable for bowmaking?
Sergio.
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It looks like apitong commonly used in truck body and trailer flooring. The ship lap is also an indicator it may be apitong.
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The exotic looks a bit like leopard wood, but the lighter areas are usually more uniform ???
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Mike, you hit it. It is apitong not cerejeira, it was too hard and heavy to be cerejeira.
Here are the specs: http://tropix.cirad.fr/asia/keruing.pdf (http://tropix.cirad.fr/asia/keruing.pdf)
It seem a fair candidate for bowmaking, what do you think? have anyone used it?
Sergio
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thats just what white oak looks like. weird I know. and if the mystery wood is hard and heavy it should also be at least reasonably flexible and strong. I say go for it!