I'm considering having a new bow made and I'm wanting dark veneers on it. Cocobolo and other oily woods are out so I need some ideas. I've searched this forum so I've seen some but I'm hoping there are more out there. I like a burl or crotch type grain with dark browns or reds. I have seen some dark walnut, koa, and buginga that seem to work. I see amazing walnut burl/crotch gun stocks but virtually no limb veneers, am I missing something or do people just not like it in veneers? Hope you guys can help me out with some pics.
Thanks
Here is walnut. It does show the streaks in the glass, though. It's just a fact of life with dark woods.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C4cTqW7ZaGM/T_t9sG4rmiI/AAAAAAAADPA/vLAAzo9SaKw/s800/IMG_1196.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DlIRFQ1XwNM/T_t9sTdu9UI/AAAAAAAADO8/NAy76ujbEiw/s800/IMG_1199.JPG)
Zebra wood
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mr4dyIT9UYI/T8E3I57goQI/AAAAAAAADLs/xEWmboSpoHQ/s800/IMG_0639.JPG)
Dark Myrtle
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lodAcoPSkzE/UNDcE6sQVII/AAAAAAAADhU/UCn_jngy2V4/s800/IMG_1003.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Rp4Hs_FjyhM/UNDcEOgjUII/AAAAAAAADhE/9BVi2NBUFn4/s800/IMG_1001.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-c54p9RNHVsQ/UNDcFDBZTwI/AAAAAAAADhY/y9Kp-DM7lGw/s800/IMG_1006.JPG)
Bacote
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt12/twotracks/P1020395.jpg)
Walnut Burl.
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt12/twotracks/Ambush%20Recurve/P1010624.jpg)
Both available. PM for info.
Merry Christmas,
CTT
The Burl veneers can be brittle and crumbly. Seldom do you come across a burl that's 36" long, long enough to make a limb veneer.
Here's some Curly Maple that's been darkened with Aquafortis.
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r243/7Lakes/Aquafortis/102_4496.jpg)
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r243/7Lakes/Aquafortis/102_4499.jpg)
Stained American elm.
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee391/rjwalton8/P1010410.jpg)
Thanks guys. Keep em coming. I keep coming back to the walnut.
Rob, that elm looks sweet. I sometimes think that we overlook more common woods. The right cut with the grain and the right stain really makes for a beautiful veneer.
B&W ebony
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/bows/Picture086-1.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/bows/Picture088-1.jpg)
Myrtle
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/bows/IMG_0448.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/bows/IMG_0435.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/bows/IMG_0428.jpg)
Bocote
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/bows/Picture103.jpg)
NBK, I agree. I really like the native hardwoods. Actually the one pictured is a working lam(pretty sure) with walnut core. Sweet shooter.
This is a pic of a bow under construction..I used East Indian Rosewood veneers (http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt46/Robertfishes/bow15EIRosewood-1.jpg)
another bow that I snapped a pic of before I was finished with it.. I used a 64" piece of Macassar Ebony veneer in this one, no splice in center of bow. (http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt46/Robertfishes/bow10f.jpg)
I did not say no no to coco...and I am very happy.
(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa337/ceme24/4A6499BA-856B-4FBD-A5A3-AE4D19A3C6BA-14947-00000C975158B95C_zps633fe2f1.jpg)
(http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa337/ceme24/BEEF1E5F-BF43-486B-9EA1-E4A09D60CC0F-38683-00001F229FCB6E70_zpsa5c285f9.jpg)
Timely thread! I just put down a deposit with Allen Boice for a Liberty Contender and would like to do dark brown veneers as well. Decisions, decisions.....so many beautiful limbs. Really love the dark curly maple.
I used a nice medium dark Bubinga veneer in this one, no splice in veneer it was 84" long before I cut it to size.. gonna build a long bow next month with some of this bubinga veneer.. (http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt46/Robertfishes/augustbubinga2011a.jpg)
Oh don't get me wrong I love the coco but some bowyers don't like to use it in the veneers. Is the rosewood similar in terms of oil in the wood?
I didn't think the East Indian Rosewood was oily at all, I sprayed some Spar urethane on a scrap piece of veneer and it dried just fine.... but I did seal it before spraying the finish just in case.. I have used cocobolo,santos rosewood and Pau fero(morado)and had to seal wood before appling the finish
I got a couple of Cocobolo boards 2 years ago, I'm sitting on them for now.. (http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt46/Robertfishes/3x6x10cocobolo.jpg)
That is sweet Brandon.
Here's another example of bubinga.
I like the contrast of light and dark.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vZfFvquzJx0/UGBoHcjk8dI/AAAAAAAAHhE/hu073XF1iC4/s640/IMG_6937a.JPG)
www.rosewoodarchery.com (http://www.rosewoodarchery.com) has some dark bocote vereers that look interesting. Maybee it's too much on the oily side but something to look at.
(http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w364/typical2/limbwoods.jpg)
upper sippi - that bubinga is amazing. I like the really dark bacote as well, most of it seems lighter and more yellow than that.
QuoteOriginally posted by Texasrecurve81:
upper sippi - that bubinga is amazing. I like the really dark bacote as well, most of it seems lighter and more yellow than that.
X2, best bubinga I've ever seen.
Here is a picture of my tomahawk legacy series woodland hunter.
(http://i1342.photobucket.com/albums/o780/jakerr1/018640x480.jpg)
(http://i1342.photobucket.com/albums/o780/jakerr1/017640x480.jpg)
RER Arroyo with Cocobolo veneers. Kevin did a great job on it with streak free glass.
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/Yellowdog3822/P2270152.jpg)
Man I love the cocobolo. Hard to beat.
(http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee465/buckskinbows/5.jpg)
You just can't beat cocobolo, I do prefer alittle more red or orange for veneers , but I try to use my darker purple coco in the riser
black woven carbon fiber provides a nice dark limb
Wenge or Ziricote would do the trick, or Walnut.
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/BJ2-1.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/BJ-1.jpg)
Man, Big Jim has a stash of the best cocobolo I've ever seen. I had a TC made of the same stuff.
here is my blacktail.. I love this wood combo
(http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m551/bedortha1234/blacktail3.jpg)