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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: GussieGoins on March 15, 2017, 07:28:00 AM

Title: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: GussieGoins on March 15, 2017, 07:28:00 AM
What are some of your favorite hardwoods for Limb wedges and fades on risers.  Not in turns of looks, everyone has their preferences in woods based on looks.  I mean in terms of ease of sanding out to very fine dimensions.  I tried to make some wenge wedges and it didn't work out for me because they were very porous out on the tips.  Bad about sluffing off at the thin edges.  Brittle too.  What are some of the better hardwoods that are reasonably flexible and close grained?  What are some of the hardwoods you try to avoid in these areas?
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: Robertfishes on March 15, 2017, 07:53:00 AM
I have only built 14 sets of ILF TD limbs.  I used Pau Fero on 12 of them and 2 with Zebrawood. I had no problems with either one.
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: ty_in_ND on March 15, 2017, 10:04:00 AM
It might be a little on the boring side (compared to "exotic" timber), but I've had good success working with cherry, maple, and walnut when it comes to getting pieces sanded to a very fine tapered tip.
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: kennym on March 15, 2017, 10:39:00 AM
I can see where wenge would be hard to feather. I've done them in about everything from a wood to African Blackwood  to aboo but never wenge
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: beachbowhunter on March 15, 2017, 06:53:00 PM
I've used wenge, zebra, cocobolo, bacote, gaboon ebony, and marblewood so far without problems. I like to use bloodwood for power and tip lams because I think it looks cool      :saywhat:
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: LittleBen on March 15, 2017, 08:25:00 PM
When I doubt, use maple. It's hard, tough, fine grained, minimal pores, cheap, readily available, and classic looking.

With that all said I never faded out wedge like that, but I've never had problems with any other woods.

Have used maple, walnut, various rosewoods, kingwood, cocobolo, shedua, bocote, Ipe and probably other I can't recall.
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: jess stuart on March 15, 2017, 09:42:00 PM
Bolivian Rosewood also known as Pau Ferro is hard to beat for risers or wedges.  It is absolutely my favorite wood to use.
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: GussieGoins on March 18, 2017, 05:39:00 AM
Thanks for the great info.  I have used maple also it worked very well.  Any others beside wedge I should stay away from?
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: ty_in_ND on March 18, 2017, 05:26:00 PM
Padauk could give you problems.  It is also porous and can be brittle. It's great for wider accent strips, but I don't think I would use it in a fade-out situation.
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: bamboo on April 14, 2017, 03:43:00 PM
cherry is good--maple and hickory are my favorites
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: Holm-Made on April 24, 2017, 06:50:00 PM
Hard to beat bubinga or Chechen for tight grained, dense risers or wedges.
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: Wolftrail on April 25, 2017, 10:45:00 AM
Exotic woods are very strong and colorful but why not use our sustainable wood supply's in North America like Maple, Oak, Osage, Yew, Black walnut and others. ?
Those Trees cut in the Amazon area will never grow back not even in your great, great grand children's time.
Title: Re: Favorite Hardwoods for Limb Wedges and Fades?
Post by: arachnid on April 25, 2017, 01:15:00 PM
I used Beech wedges with maple core. Looks nice and works great.