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Offline soy

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other standing dead wood
« on: September 27, 2011, 12:45:46 am »
Found some standing dead walnut(bark off) white wood decay but hard dark, also standing red and white elm.I have cut will this be ok for use in bow making?
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Is this bow making a sickness? or the cure...

Offline Pat B

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Re: other standing dead wood
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2011, 01:44:05 am »
IMO...NO!
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline fishfinder401

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  • noel laflamme noellaf2@cox.net
Re: other standing dead wood
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2011, 02:16:51 am »
im going to repeat something i think PatB said to me when i was starting, only use the best wood( in regards to a sapling that was dying that i used)  if its dead, there is probably a reason, the only dead wood i would harvest is something from a rot resistant wood that was blown over in a storm
good luck
noel
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warbows and fishing, what else is there to do?
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Offline Josh B

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Re: other standing dead wood
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2011, 01:51:26 pm »
Soy
  The dead standing elm is definitely a no go.  That being said, the BW heartwood takes a long time to rot.  Since you have already cut it, split it down into staves and remove all bark, sapwood and chase down a couple rings in the heartwood.  If there is any sign of mildew spots or gray patches, its firewood.  If it looks and smells like good old walnut, you should be good.  remember Bw likes a wide flat back and you will remove at least 2 inches of material from the back, so allow for that when you split you're staves.  Split the staves too narrow, and all you will have is kid bows and arrow materials.  If it isn't salvageable let me know, eventually I will get through your area, and I have some primo BW staves.  Some are super clean and straight and some are loaded with character.  I'll bring you some.
                            Josh
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Offline HoBow

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Re: other standing dead wood
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2011, 04:27:05 pm »
Use it in risers and tip overlays.  It should not give you any problems.
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Jeff Utley- Atlanta GA

Offline soy

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Re: other standing dead wood
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2011, 03:08:34 am »
Thanks guys!
Gundoc-man ill take you up on that I have iron wood and hicory if u need any
And the next question I had was about bw arrows of the same tree?
alsocan I use the red elm for backing strips???
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Is this bow making a sickness? or the cure...

mikekeswick

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Re: other standing dead wood
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2011, 05:38:27 am »
Elm makes a great backing but make sure the wood is in good nick first!
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Offline Josh B

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Re: other standing dead wood
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2011, 03:22:11 am »
BW makes pretty good arrows, I use sapwood for shorter or lighter spine arrows and heartwood for stiffer spine.  If you have nice straight grain (not a problem with BW) just saw it down to square shafts and round of the corners.  I use a thumb plane upside down in the vice and slowly draw the shaft across the blade to round it off.  I have a nice router table, but I haven't figured out how to best use it for this purpose.  I've never hard backed a bow before, I would guess red elm would work if it is sound wood.  Oh, and ironwood would be sweet!!! 
                     Josh
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