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Author Topic: Mountain Laurel  (Read 4288 times)

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Offline medic336

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Mountain Laurel
« on: August 30, 2010, 07:13:29 pm »
Does anyone have any Experience with Mountain Laurel? I live near Little River Canyon and we have a ton of it here. Any suggestions on design?
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Offline jthompson1995

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2010, 07:33:27 pm »
Most mountain laurel I've seen is quite twisted, which may pose a problem. If you can find a straight enough piece, try running some bend tests on a small piece before going for a full bow.
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Offline Thwackaddict

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2010, 01:19:51 am »
medic i was gonna ask the same thing,thats all we have here,laurel thickets everywhere and a lot of fairly straight stuff.I do know that while your crawlin through a thicket i you push one back out of the way and your hand slips that sucker will smack your face harder than my granny ever did! ;D Very springy stuff.Next on my to do list!
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2010, 01:57:39 am »
We have tons around here too. Locals call it "ivy" and a laurel thicket is an "ivy hell"!  Mountain laurel is some pretty hard wood so it should make a bow. I've never tried it but I probably have a stave or two in my bow wood stack.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline deiselbrown

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2010, 07:37:36 am »
You can take a limb and tie a knot in it without it breaking. I was going to get a stave while I was in Viginia but couldn't find a straight enough bush. i bet it will make a very sprigy bow.
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Offline Thwackaddict

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2010, 08:02:30 am »
hey diesel next time i got to our cabin I'll find ya a good strait one and set it back for ya,we got alot of strait stuff here.
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Hello everyone.My name is Randy and I am addicted to THWACK!!

Southwest,VA

Offline deiselbrown

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2010, 11:43:13 am »
That will be great maybe we'll find the next vine maple. I have never heard of anyone making a bow from it.
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Offline Thwackaddict

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2010, 06:08:18 pm »
no doubt I'm excited ;D
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Hello everyone.My name is Randy and I am addicted to THWACK!!

Southwest,VA

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2010, 09:01:33 pm »
It's pretty hard, dense wood. I think Robustus made a bow out of either mountain laurel or rhododendron once. I've always threatened to try it, just never have gotten around to it.
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Offline medic336

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2010, 10:25:36 pm »
Lots of straight stuff in the canyon here. usually not more than about 3.5 inch diameter,but some straight pieces 6-8 feet long. And most of these that I've seen are near public trails I'm sure there is lots more in the wild areas.....
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Offline Thwackaddict

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Re: Mountain Laurel
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2010, 10:51:57 pm »
Diesel how long a piece you want?
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Hello everyone.My name is Randy and I am addicted to THWACK!!

Southwest,VA
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