Author Topic: cherry wood as bow wood ?  (Read 31580 times)

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Offline ohiocountryboy

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cherry wood as bow wood ?
« on: June 07, 2013, 01:04:56 am »
How is cherry  as a bow wood?
I come across a couple of acres worth today on our property at work. Thanks

Offline rossfactor

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2013, 04:36:26 am »
Depends who you ask, what kind of cherry you got and how you want the bow to look in the end.

Somebody will be along soon to tell you not to waste your time.... they may even make reference to some supposed yellow 'king.' My advice is to offer them a glass of hater-aid and continue on your journey.  ;) ;D

If that doesn't turn you off, many fine bows have been made from cherries. Black cherry works well in a laminate bow (e.g. backed with Ash or Hickory), and can also be made into fine selfbows.  Remember cherry is much stronger in compression than tension, so it needs to be wide (think 2.5 inches ish) in the inner limb, and prefers pyramid style taper. Fine, and long lasting cherry self bows can also be made from longer staves (e.g in the 70" category)

Sinew backed choke cherry bows are reported to be some of snappiest shooters around, but that is purely anecdotal as I have never shot one of these.

That being said, for most intended purposes there are usually better bow wood options available. But if you got a field full of trees and want to give it a go... don't let me stop you. Rock on.

Gabe


Humboldt County CA.

Offline Joec123able

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2013, 04:55:36 am »
Cherry is good bow wood cut as much as you need no matter what someone else here is probably gonna say, cherry WILL make a bow that's a fact
I like osage

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2013, 05:48:34 am »
Run a search for "cherry".
Seriously, you'll be amazed at the shear amount of topics that have already discussed cherry in the past.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline Pappy

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2013, 06:33:36 am »
Any wood[almost] that's available is bow wood,if I had lot of choices Cherry probably wouldn't be the first but I have made bows from it and most done fine,beautiful and light. It seem to dry rot [deterierate] pretty fast  if left out so if you cut some get it out of the weather,spray for bugs or debark and seal as soon as you can,little wider and a little longer will take care of a lot of woods  weaknesses and turn out some fine bows. Go for it. :)
   Pappy
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Offline BowSlayer

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2013, 08:20:08 am »
Search "cherry bow" or "cherry longbow" into YouTube there is a guy called Colin peck here in the UK and he made one. 
London, England.

45#@28"

Offline dwardo

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2013, 08:40:45 am »
One of my favourite bow woods  ;D Search on here for the ones I have made.

PS just ignore the last one  :laugh:

Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2013, 09:01:07 am »
Most of my bows don't break.  Black Cherry has broken on every attempt for me.  Most have been my fault, too narrow, too short, bad choice of grain selection on backing.  I'm determined to get a bow from it though and I'm sure I can.  Fickle wood in my book, but I'm oddly enamored of it.  Go for it and post pics.
Liberty, In God We Trust, E Pluribus Unum.  Distinctly American Values.

Offline BowEd

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2013, 10:49:57 am »
ohiocountryboy....What kind of cherry is yours?Choke cherry here makes good bows in Iowa.Some of the choke cherry here is 8" accross.Pretty stuff too.Well behaved while drying wood.I had to rip my staves on the bandsaw though.It did not want to split straight.Could be because of it being a diffuse porous wood.No checking either.Self bows wider and longer.Sinewed ones shorter and narrower.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline Slackbunny

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2013, 11:09:26 am »
Cherry can be tricky due to being weaker in tension than compression. Most guys are used to working tension strong woods, and you have to treat compression strong woods a little different.

Offline Dances with squirrels

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2013, 11:48:11 am »
I tried several, self and backed with boo and hickory. Most all failed. I had success wih a very thin hickory backing, bow 1 3/4" wide and 68" long. Makes a very nice bow... when it survives.
Straight wood may make a better bow, but crooked wood makes a better bowyer

Offline Buckeye Guy

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #11 on: June 07, 2013, 12:50:01 pm »
Cherry is notorious for sap inclusions that can spell disaster !
But if you get a piece with out any serious ones it is a beautiful bow for sure !
No way of telling just go for it till it breaks your heart , or you fall in love !
Keep your chin up !
Guy
Guy Dasher
The Marshall Primitive Archery Rendezvous
Primitive Archery Society
Having  fun
To God be the glory !

Offline Gwynnin

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #12 on: June 07, 2013, 01:18:41 pm »
I've had a lot of luck with cherry, both flat bows (I have one I made 15 years ago that's still shooting fine) and semi-stacked longbows. Might not be as brilliant as ossage, but it's pretty, works well and shoots just fine.

Offline Slackbunny

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #13 on: June 07, 2013, 01:55:07 pm »
I wonder if geography might have different effects on cherry. Prunus serotina, or black cherry has a range that stretches from southeastern Canada all the way down to southern Mexico. I wonder if northern black cherry fares any better than southern black cherry or vice versa. Something to think about anyway.

Offline Chadwick

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Re: cherry wood as bow wood ?
« Reply #14 on: June 07, 2013, 02:10:10 pm »
I loved working a cherry stave into a nice little bow. It smelled great, too. Then it broke. I'm willing to try again though!
Nothing flying, Nothing dying