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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: goobersan on August 22, 2013, 07:16:00 PM
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how big is too big? a friend of mine has a 30+" tree to cut down. should I consider some for a self bow if the grain looks straight?
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I would. I'd love to get my hands on a clean 30" smoothbark hickory for staves, backing strips, and arrows.
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how big is too big to split is the question. I would have to be feeling mighty froggy to tackle a job like that. don't see why it wouldn't work, just alot of work to split. the hickory staves i have split out have been out of trees less than 12" diameter. hickory is a pain to split anyway.. very stringy.
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It would be more work, that's for sure. I've never split a hickory that big either, but I'd sure give a good effort. If I thought it was too big to split it, I'd take it to a sawmill. A buddy of mine has a portable band saw mill. That would be the ticket.
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No way for me. Maybe have it cut and then milled but I would never tackle something that big. The biggest osage I have split was 18". It sucked so bad just to position the damn thing I would never do it again. Give me a nice 12-14" diameter log anytime. I'm a wimp :)
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well I'm gonna give it a shot then. this guys friend has a steam powered sawmill. if all goes well I will get a video for you guys to see. thanks for the encouragement. :thumbsup:
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Go for it goober boy:)
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its 30 inches at chest level? or at its base?
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not sure Dog. We'll be cutting it in October. It would be real nice if I could get a bunch of staves cheap and easy. I'll have to have a lot of glue with me