Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Bohunter0908 on October 13, 2011, 10:54:26 pm

Title: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: Bohunter0908 on October 13, 2011, 10:54:26 pm

 Hi Y'all
   I have been looking around trying to
Find some crepe myrtle and finaly
Scored but any way I'm wondering how to
prepare its only about 3 and 4 inch diamiter but
Fairly long any info on how to prep like splitting and such and
seasoning time
         
    Thanks
    -Bo-
Laporte TEXAS

Title: Re: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: mullet on October 14, 2011, 12:36:26 am

  Split it down the center then seal both ends. I usually just dip the two ends in a bucket of acrylic house paint to seal them.
Then let them dry, and make a bow :)

Title: Re: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: nyarrow on October 14, 2011, 01:27:04 am

The seasoning is fairly uniform for most woods, seal it up and let it sit until the moisture content is acceptable. As far the wood concerning design and layout I would contact ken75. He has used this wood many times and actually says it is his favorite of all bow woods.

Title: Re: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: Bohunter0908 on October 14, 2011, 02:16:14 am

Thanks for the info gents
I've been tld about ken75 I'll have to check his stuff out
 -Bo-
Laporte TEXAS

Title: Re: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: ken75 on October 14, 2011, 03:42:42 pm

bohunter ,glad to hear someone trying it . crepe doesnt split bad during drying just seal the ends . on small diameter stuff i usually start a bandsaw kerf about 6 inches and then split from there. seems to help it stay straight. reduce it down to bow thickness to speed drying but dont narrow the limb width or it will warp on you. if the bark wont peel easily it will scrape off easy enough , have to remove all of it because it will crack on you during tillering and give you near heart attcks , although it wont effect the integrity of the back. what i have used is extremely dense 60 inch x 1 1/4 pieces have yeilded 50 lb bows. look forward to seeing what you come up with.
ken

Title: Re: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: Gus on October 14, 2011, 07:04:30 pm

Yes Sir...

Looks like South East Texas might be breaking out with a case of Myrtle Bows soon... :)

I've got a couple of limbs aging out back even now.

-gus

Title: Re: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: johnston on October 14, 2011, 09:33:25 pm

I got a good bit of it too. Gonna let it cure a year or so. Plan to leave bark on some of the backs and am glad ken said it could get noisy. I did not know that.

Lane

Title: Re: crepe myrtle questions ???????
Post by: gstoneberg on October 15, 2011, 01:47:27 am

Quote from: Gus on October 14, 2011, 07:04:30 pm

Yes Sir...

Looks like South East Texas might be breaking out with a case of Myrtle Bows soon... :)

I've got a couple of limbs aging out back even now.

-gus

I've got one in the works too.  We got more of Texas covered than you think...

George