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Author Topic: Maple saplings?  (Read 3004 times)

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Offline Mounter

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Maple saplings?
« on: May 24, 2016, 12:04:13 am »
Was clearing out some brush by the shop the other day. Saved some maple saplings, anyone messed with them before?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2016, 08:27:27 am »
What kind of maple? Some is good bow wood, others are not.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Knoll

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2016, 09:12:50 am »
sugar maple makes a decent shaft. Soft maples ..... don't know.
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... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline Mounter

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2016, 10:13:44 am »
I'm pretty sure it's silver maple..  Guess I let them dry a couple months and see how they workout?
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Offline Knoll

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2016, 11:02:10 am »
Quote from: Mounter on May 24, 2016, 10:13:44 am
Guess I let them dry a couple months and see how they workout?

a plan is always good. Good luck!
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... alone in distant woods or fields, in unpretending sproutlands or pastures tracked by rabbits, even in a bleak and, to most, cheerless day .... .  I suppose that this value, in my case, is equivalent to what others get by churchgoing & prayer.  Hank Thoreau, 1857

Offline DC

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2016, 12:09:58 pm »
I think you can make an arrow out of anything depending on what you are shooting at. For example I made some arrows out of old growth Western Hemlock. They were beautiful. The wood was straight,very stable and they spined out very consistently. I only shoot at the range and the targets have a steel framework. My bamboo arrows have lasted for at least a year but the hemlocks would only make it a month and the tip would break. The wood is too brittle for that use. If you were shooting at a hay butt or possibly for hunting arrow the hemlock would probably be fine.
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Offline Mounter

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2016, 01:34:42 am »
Well,if nothing else. I used some of the bigger saplings to make hoops for a couple mountain man type beaver hoops. It's surprising how dry and stiff they got after only a couple days with the bark removed. Add some feathers for decoration tomorrow and they'll be ready by this weekend.
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Offline Mounter

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2016, 12:09:10 am »
So, I  couldn't resist messing around with a few of these shoots... They seem ok, I hand straighten them, check the next day.. Still straight, tweek them a little here and there. ???? I really hope they work out cause I'll have an endless supply, but I have lilac and some others I'll need help Identifying as options. If nothing else I have a new supply of beaver hoops.. :)

 
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Offline archeryrob

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2016, 06:01:20 am »
I keep messing with the few experiemntal shafts I have left from Silky Dogwood and Hazel. The Hazel is a softwood and both warp on me. I have always read on groving, but have never done it. Might have to give it a try and see if it helps any.
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"If you can't have fun doing it, it ain't worth doing, or you're just doing it wrong."

Offline Mounter

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Re: Maple saplings?
« Reply #9 on: May 28, 2016, 02:03:16 pm »
Ya, I'm not sure Rob, may be a waste of time.. But I'll see what these do in a couple weeks after they've dried more.  I have about 15 more that still have bark on, I don't plan on messing with them unless these 1st four show promise...
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