Sycamore???

[koan]

Power Co. just cut down a 100 yr. old sycamore at my parents cuz it got hit by lightning and they thought it might fall on their power lines. They cut it in 8' lengths and its a good 2' across.....Is this considered good bow wood? Dont recall anyone here talkin bout it......Brian

[cowboy]

I'm curious too Brian - but think I already know the answer. Seems to me Sycamore is going to be too soft and brittle.
  For some crazy reason I cut a small log of Mimosa , my stave collection wasn't real healthy at the time - that thing has 1" rings, weird. Anybody ever heard of Chittum???

[Coo-wah-chobee]

            ........Nope Paul, sycamore is called american planetree(Platanus occidentalis). Only had a stave of it once . Nope, wood is hard, heavy an course grained  but flexibility is a bit less than other woods. Btw it is used almost exclusively fer wooden butcher blocks. HUGE tree. can grow to 175'  high. Even leaves are HUGE ! Brian, I would use it ifn I could get it, only grows in northwest fla here. The one bow I built outta it was a winner ............................bob

[Auggie]

So, whens the stave splitting party?

[Minuteman]

Not personal experience but I've been told by responsible folks that sycamore has a tough interlocking grain that makes it difficult to split. Kinda like elm I guess. I believe the SG was somewhere near maple's as far as that goes.
 I'd give it a try Brian, of course splitting a 24" log of that stuff, if it does have interlocking grain ,may be an all day affair!
 Chris

[cowboy]

Hmmm. Well I'll be durned, whod'a thunk it? OK - sycamore's look out . Good luck on the splittin Brian - picture's?

[Pappy]

Never tried a bow from it ,but have tried splitting it for fire wood and lost 3 wedges.It is
tough to split.
   Pappy

[lowell]

I've never tried it but a big limb blew out of our tree and as I was cleaning it up I was also thinking of the possibilities.  As I cut and pulled on the branches it seemed like they broke very easy and I gave up the idea of ever using it for a bow.

  Maybe I should change my mind??

[Woodland Roamer]

Sycamore is murder to split firewood length, I'd hate to even try splitting a bow stave length log, especially one two feet in diamater. 

Alan

[richpierce]

It does break easy, limbs fall off all the time.  It is lighter in weight than other white woods commonly used for bows.

[snedeker]

Some indian bows of sycamore have been found in caves in the southwest US, from the first millenium AD.   Arid places where wood in general is scarce.  I suppose that means it put some meat on the table.

Dave

[Rich Saffold]

I made one last century, and it shot quite well until it blew, but that was after a few years of serious abuse (60" bow 30"+ draw)..The branch I used was probably .45 sg so its light by our standards, and I'm sure its stronger in compression. If I had another good stave I would make it long for the draw weight and maybe back it depending on how the back looks...

It's a beautiful wood and I will make another in the future when I get a piece..Something like a 70"+ 35-45# target bow perhaps with a thin bamboo backing. It's more of a wood to show your "expertise" with as opposed to make a wicked hunting bow from.

Ya like mentioned, I split this piece with  the chainsaw

Rich

[koan]

Thanks fer the info folks, we are gonna take it to the Amish sawmill and I will get the trim off peices they cut to make it square , hopefully save me and Auggie some backache.....got 3 logs from it...all that big!! Now,...how do we get em on the trailer? .....Brian

[mullet]

  I read somewhere that the NA's used it for dugouts but not for bows.Hey bob,NW Fla,? Did you miss the 4, 60 footer's across the street from my house? 

[Coo-wah-chobee]

         Range goes down ta northwest florida Eddie. Its a common dooryard tree. No I didnt miss those across the street from you but cuttin in foks yards kinna makes them pissed . Hmm, wonder why ? ....bob