Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: YosemiteSam on February 15, 2017, 07:12:00 PM
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Here in my part of CA, we don't have osage, hickory or yew. But I pass tons of ash & mulberry every day. Plenty of Chinese elm, too, though I'm not sure if that's as good a bow wood.
I'm wondering how to select a branch to harvest for a selfbow. How thick should it be in diameter (minimum)? How can I tell how straight the grain is when it's still on the tree? Are a few small knots okay or does it need to be clear? there aren't too many folk who do this sort of thing out here (I have one trad-hunting neighbor but he's not into building). Any good resources for learning?
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Send bubby a PM. He might be able to help you out.
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2" in diameter or larger should work with most bow woods. Mulberry would be my choice of what you mentioned.
Most limbs will grow pretty straight . Try to get one with no side branches.
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Most woods over 0.55s.g. will make a bow. You definitely don't need the 'premium' woods you mentioned. Mulberry is well worth experimenting with.
Branches are ok but much better to get a trunk. Anything over 2 inches will work. To begin with only select the straightest, most knotfree wood you can find. Much better to spend a few hours looking than to try and make a bow from a marginal stave.
Get yourself the TTB books, vol 1 is as good a palce to start as any. Follow the 'osage bow' chapter and simply adjust the width for different wood species.
Good luck. Practise makes perfect.
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Mulberry is one of my favorites.
A lot of the benefits of Osage just lower density, but just keep your bows a bit wider and you're good.
I really like how mulberry gets that aged look very quickly, especially in sunlight.
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Thank you for your feedback. Sounds like a book is on my "things I need" list.
At 2", I assume that all sapwood is okay for the mulberry? I've seen 3-4" limbs that barely have 1" of heartwood at the center.
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I've made bows with all sapwood, 50/50, a few sapwood rings and all heartwood with mulberry. The more sapwood the thicker the limbs will be but they all made good bows and shot well.