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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Adam Keiper on April 02, 2012, 12:23:00 AM

Title: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: Adam Keiper on April 02, 2012, 12:23:00 AM: This weekend, my family stayed at a friend's cabin in northern PA. It rained the entire time. No TV. Spotty cell coverage. It was fantastic.

On Saturday, my wife was happy to read the day away and just be free of phone calls. My youngest occupied himself with coloring books and ladybugs in the cabin. My oldest braved a hike with me and darted in and out between rain showers to plink cans with his BB gun. I spent most of the day exploring the mountain and looking for bow wood. I had access to a chainsaw and an ATV, but left those alone in favor of adventure. I ended up cutting 5 small trees, within 1/2 to 3/4 mile up the mountain from camp. 2 Eastern hophornbeam, 1 hickory, and 2 that I haven't ID'd. Here's a video of the trip.

http://youtu.be/uFPgrsV-8hc

This is a closeup of the bark on the two I'm unsure of. I was leaning towards flowering dogwood when I cut them, but second guessed myself on the way back. Possibly white oak or hawthorn as well? The bark is fairly dark overall and and there were no dead leaves clinging to them to help with an ID. Reading the bark on young trees can be tricky.

(http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii573/Gruxxx/Bark.jpg)
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: Pat B on April 02, 2012, 09:02:00 AM: AK, the one pictured here looks like dogwood(you can tell by the bark! d;^) )Dogwood has pinkish colored wood and it should have flower buds on the twig tips. These flower buds are visable before leaf fall the year before.
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: Rick James on April 02, 2012, 03:45:00 PM: Cool Video!
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: okie64 on April 02, 2012, 04:53:00 PM: Nice video Adam, Those are some nice lookin woods you're roamin around in. I agree with Pat on the wood id, looks like dogwood to me.
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: Adam Keiper on April 02, 2012, 09:02:00 PM: I'm still inclined to think dogwood as well. The bark just seems one-off, and the wood isn't as pink as what I'm used to seeing. Maybe just a variation due to growing conditions. :confused: Whatever, it's turning into a bow! :D
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: OzarkMatt on April 02, 2012, 09:11:00 PM: Thats looks exactly like the flowering dogwood I have around here. The wood in my experience is usually creamy white. Great wood!
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: okie64 on April 02, 2012, 09:41:00 PM: Dogwood should make a great bow Adam. Ive seen a few made over on PA website. I went looking for some last week and found lots of them but none straight or long enough to make them worth cutting down. They were really easy to spot with all the white flowers in full bloom, never realized there were that many of them around here.
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: Black Mockingbird on April 03, 2012, 09:09:00 AM: Theres no mountains in pa. :p sure looks like the dogwood we have here in pa...careful drying it..it likes to check if rushed too much...if you peel the bark then seal everyside of it,back,sides,belly,ends and all.
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: Hopewell Tom on April 03, 2012, 07:10:00 PM: With no leaves, the next best ID is a twig with buds on it. Just the end of a branch from the upper part of the crown will do.
Title: Re: Bow Wood Cutting in the Mountains
Post by: Adam Keiper on April 03, 2012, 10:38:00 PM: Ha, everything in my neck of the woods is blooming. But, in the northwoods, I was probably just a week early for buds.