Questions about hackberry

[tetaxidermy]

I cut and split four hackberry staves,sealed the ends and back. What I need to know is do you work a ring on the back or just peel the bark and go? My other question is what style of bow is best suited to this type of wood, they are 75'' long so plenty to work with. One I would like to do just a simple d shaped long bow, and one recurve not sure on the other two yet. Was wanting to work down close to bow size and clamp them were i want them. tell me what you think.

[Parnell]

The one that I did, I just took off the bark and went from there.  Make sure that you get all the nicks and grooves out of that layer, though, or else move to the next ring.  I'd made a flatbow - about 64" I think.  It's great wood to work.  Can't beat the smell, all-time best, I think.

[tetaxidermy]

thanks for the info, cant wait to get started.

[El Destructo]

Hackberry is a pretty soft wood with a Specific Gravity of .50....it's a very nice wood to work with....easy to bend...and lends itself to a wider limbed style Bow best...I would say somewhere in the vicinty of 1 3/4- 2 inches wide in a Flat Bow style....JMO

[tombo]

Tetax- Any style will work for you with hackberry. However, I've found that since it is a very limber wood, thickness helps. Sooo... d-style or english longbow is great. Be sure to cure it well, don't try to work it green or it will hold a lot of set. Also, it lends itself to heat curing, bending, straightening, etc. I love the stuff.   Tom

[Justin Snyder]

Jimmy "Ranger B" has made some awesome hackberry bows in the 66" long range. You might want to look at some of his bows.

[Pappy]

I just peel the bark and go fromthere,but I have chased a ring and that ant usually to bad with Hackberry,I make them 1 1/2 to 2 inches and treat it a lot like Hickory,they usually tune out with
a thicker limb thickness so start off 5/8 to 3/4 on the limb thickness. About 66 n-n for a 27inch draw should be fine. Good wood and really light.Like others have said be sure it is dry and keep it dry while working on it.It will suck up moisture like Hickory. 
   Pappy

[tetaxidermy]

Thanks guys, can't wait to get started but will wait till cured. If I work them down some how long should that take?

[Pappy]

If you thin it down close to bow size and keep it in a dry place,I like to put the over an ac duct
it shouldn't take more than a month or 2. It will dry pretty quick.     
   Pappy

[tetaxidermy]

That is pretty quick, thanks Pappy.

[DCM4]

As you can see, it tends to noodle up as it dries.  I tend to agree with the deep core, long and narrow design because it takes so much thickness to make weight.  But I'd imagine it would make a fine flatbow as well.  I only made 1 from it, elb style.  It takes a LOT of wood, relative to something dense like osage.

[JW_Halverson]

I've done a half dozen hackberry and I gotta agree with Parnell about the smell of hack...kinda reminds me of popcorn. 

1 3/4 wide flatbow or even wider works pretty darn good.  I took one down to floor tillering the same day as it was cut, used innertube bands to strap it to a 2x4 to keep it from twisting or warping, and dried it in my vehicle in a week before tillering it out to finish.  It finished out at 48# at 26"and shot as fast as my sinew backed osage at 50#. 

I like the feel of hackberry when it peels off under my laser sharp spokeshave.  Aw, man, I gotta go find some more hackberry to work with!

Good luck!