Author Topic: Beechwood anyone?  (Read 13989 times)

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Offline Sidewinder

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Beechwood anyone?
« on: January 12, 2008, 04:04:02 pm »
Has anyone ever worked with Beechwood? My Dad called me today and asked if I could check into Beechwood as a bow wood. He has a table at home that is made of it and he really likes it. He knows that I am going to make him a bow soon and if it makes good bow wood then I shall attempt at making his in that.   Danny
"You know a tree by the fruit it bears"   God

Offline adb

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2008, 04:23:44 pm »
Isn't beechwood used extensively by wood carvers? I know it's a white wood, and has minimal knots, but I think it's pretty soft, like poplar. Bottom line... I don't know!!

wvfknapper

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2008, 04:27:05 pm »
Well I just posted on this and it didn't show.... Beech is a Hard wood and from what i have read it makes good bows, just treat like other white wood and make it a little extra wider and maybe a little longer.

Most carvers use Bass Wood,almost as soft as paper.

wvflintknapper

Offline DanaM

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2008, 06:20:11 pm »
I think it will work but keep it wide and long. I have a stave dring for a future bow.
"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline Sidewinder

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2008, 06:35:28 pm »
Dana, If my target was a 25" draw 40# bow not more than 64" long what would you recommend for width at the fade in a pyramid design? Would 1 3/4-1 7/8" be ok? Does it tend to be softer hardwood? Its in the same family as oaks isn't it? In terms of durability how does it stack up against white oak? Danny
"You know a tree by the fruit it bears"   God

Offline markinengland

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2008, 06:37:07 pm »
Beech is a good strong wood, much used to make furnitire. It steam bends very well.
I plan on cutting some this winter for trying later in the year.
Mark

Offline Auggie

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2008, 08:08:46 pm »
Beechwood has been used to make beer barrels for many years,so it is a fair hard wood,dont know why it wouldnt make a good bow.
laugh. its good for ya

Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2008, 09:25:16 pm »
I've made a few Beech bows in the past. Don't have any pictures but I would rate the wood alongside White Ash
Home of heat-treating, Corbeil, On.  Canada

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Offline Bent Rig

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2008, 09:48:21 pm »
I cut a Beech tree down last spring when the leaves were at 3/4 bloom , bark on all trees cut peeled off nice with ease . The splitting of Beech probably ranks up there as one of the worst, very stringy and tough to figure on how it's going to follow the grain. But a freind of mine made a nice bow of Beech , so I wanted to try it , and I'm about 3/4 complete with mine , it's definitely a hardwood . I built mine with a overbuilt(Meare Heath) design for hunting and target . 8)
Syracuse , NY------------"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy"
                                                                                     - Benjamin Franklin

Offline DanaM

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Re: Beechwood anyone?
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2008, 06:35:04 am »
Dana, If my target was a 25" draw 40# bow not more than 64" long what would you recommend for width at the fade in a pyramid design? Would 1 3/4-1 7/8" be ok? Does it tend to be softer hardwood? Its in the same family as oaks isn't it? In terms of durability how does it stack up against white oak? Danny

I haven't tried it yet but at 40#@25"  at 64" I think I would start at 2" at the fade for 2/3 of the limb than taper
to 1/2" nocks, floor tiller then heat in a few inches of reflex, as you tiller do a combination of belly tillering and side
tillering to reduce the width. I bet you can get the width down to 1 5/8 t 1 3/4" no problem if yer careful I maybe even 1.5"
"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI