Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Red Arrow on March 18, 2017, 09:10:40 pm
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I'm new at trying to identify trees. Can anyone tell me what type tree this is by seeing the bark?
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Not much to go on, but what I see could be red maple--or not. Need more photos of twigs, buds...
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No buds yet
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Very hard to tell from that pic. Maybe a better pic of the bark and one of the crown.
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I'll get a couple more pics tomorrow.
I may take the smaller trunk for staves but I'd like to know the type of wood I'm making my bows out of.
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It does look like Red Maple as Jim said. If you get a better pic that would be helpful. I've never messed wth Red Maple, but from cutting down and pruning many of them, I would use it as a core wood. I personally wouldn't try to make a self bow with RM, it's considered a softwood(I Think) and lacks strength.
The bark resembles Black Cherry a little bit, but it's real hard to tell. Black Cherry has dark coloured bark too. RM is grey. is the bark a medium grey color?
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More pics
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That flakey bark looks like the maple I have. I don't know the difference in the maples. I've got two different ones on my place. Bark looks the same but leaves are a little different.
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See if the sap is running. ;)
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It's still cool here with frost in the mornings sometimes so I don't think the sap is running yet.
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That's the Maple test ;)
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The sap wood feels a little moist but I didn't see any sap running.
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Hard (sugar) maple?
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The bark does look like sugar maple.
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or shagbark hickory or white oak. all three have shaggy bark.
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looks like Silver Maple. It's possible it could be Sugar Maple too (like Upstate said), but check out Silver Maple. Unfortunately Silver Maples are pretty weak, it may be the weakest Maple in North America. I've seen Sugar Maples with flakey bark, usually more furrowed, darker and black staining. Another give away is the way it has codominate liters(main trunks); splitting off into two or more big sections. Which is unlike Sugar Maple. Also look at the buds if you can, The budding action in your pics also shows Silver M. It screams Silver to me.
Below, the first two pics are of Silver maple bark. The last picture is Sugar Maple with two variations of how the bark can be on those. From the pics you posted not only does the bark look like Silver Maple, the way it has grown is very typical for Silver Maples. Sugar Maples don't grow like that, Maybe once in a while, but I've never seen or heard of it.
Take care,
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Thanks guys. Apparently, all of you agree it's probably a maple of some sort. I guess I'll harvest the smaller trunk to see how it'll turn out. Maybe I'll try backing it with something.
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Wait a few more weeks before you harvest any trees so you can be sure the bark will slip.
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It does look more like silver maple.