Author Topic: Heat treating bl. walnut  (Read 1446 times)

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Offline redhillwoods

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Heat treating bl. walnut
« on: January 02, 2019, 09:32:03 am »
Hi everyone. I love using black walnut for lighter weight bows (up to about 35lbs.) but I've never heat-treated them. Does anyone have experience doing this?

Offline Pat B

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Re: Heat treating bl. walnut
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2019, 10:31:14 am »
I don't have experience heat treating BW  but I'd guess it would work just fine like with most "whitewoods".
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Heat treating bl. walnut
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2019, 12:03:26 pm »
I have never done it,, try it and tells us how it goes,,, :)

Offline bassman

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Re: Heat treating bl. walnut
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2019, 03:14:10 pm »
I have heat treated Black Walnut many times.It works great.One of my favorite bow woods. I make them mostly out of saplings.Ax them down green , put them on a 5 inch back set form, and let them dry in my basement. Before I take them off the form I heat treat them.Once tillered I heat treat them again.Belly heat treat with Walnut makes a big difference in performance and set.Build it wide, and at 27 inch draw I make them 62 inches long  Pyramid style.Two inches coming off of the fades to five eighths at the tips.Low density wood makes them very light ,and pretty snappy when built properly. It is an underrated bow wood.It can ding easy , but just adds character.Bob.

Offline Mo_coon-catcher

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Re: Heat treating bl. walnut
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2019, 04:39:31 pm »
I love black walnut when I can get it. Heat treating does do wonders with it. Like said it makes for a very low mass smooth shooter. My current daily shooter is a black walnut heartwood ELB pulling 68# at 27”. So it’s not just delighted to low draw weights. It’s approx 1.25” wide and 72” long and heat treated twice and had to be bent straight. It’s not the fastest shooter, but it’s fast enough and very quiet and smooth shooting.

Kyle

Offline bassman

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Re: Heat treating bl. walnut
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2019, 04:52:17 pm »
Yes, I have made 46 and 48 lb. bows from it at 54,56,58 inches long. 26 inch draw that shoot great. The outer growth ring on walnut sapling is really thick.No backing necessary.If you have some try it. Bob