anyone tried black ash?

[Jesse]

I have a lot of black ash trees but always thought they were only good for making baskets until I saw an ad on ebay for black ash bow staves. What do you guys think? any of you tried it?
                           Jesse

[Pat B]

I have never tried black ash but there is one way to find out, try it!     Pat

[Jesse]

Yup I think I will try it.  I will let you know maybee its a good bow wood. I hope so. Im living near a gold mine if it is.

[Pat B]

Do your first one wide and long and see how that does. If it works OK make the next one a little shorter and/or less wide...and so on.  Pat

[jkekoni]

According to wood tables it breaks about 15% earlier and is 9% less strong than white ash.
It is also 18% less dense, so you should make bows sligthly less thich and more wide that bows from white ash.

I do not have personal experience of it.

I can count you a theoretical design for a pyramidical flat/long bow, if given a draw length.
Bow type (non bending handle/bending handle) and poundage.

[Marc St Louis]

I've seen Black Ash bows. It does work. I cut some about 10 years ago and started making a simple flatbow, just never finsihed it. Had it tillered to 24 or 25" I think and it was holding together

[Jesse]

Well that is somewhat encouraging. At least its a place to start.  jkekoni my draw length is 27 inches I think for the first one I will try a bending handle and maybee 45#. Thanks


Anyone have any ideas what moisure content should be? I have a meter should I get it to 8% like hickory