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Author Topic: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??  (Read 7998 times)

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Offline StickMan47

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Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« on: March 25, 2013, 02:25:20 pm »
Hi Guys. I was out yesterday riding down a logging road and came across some Magnolia trees that the timber company left on the ground. They are still green, been down maybe a month tops. I was just wondering if anyone on here has attempted making a bow out of this wood? I hauled 3 pieces of this stuff out and brought it home. I haven't split it into staves yet. The logs are from 4 to 6 inches around.

So do I go ahead and split them or save em for a different project? I looked up the SG in the TBB and all it said as for making bows was that it is diffuse porous and has a .48 SG. I know it isn't the best choice for a bow but hey it was free!

Sure wish the Osage staves I have were seasoned and ready to go.
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Offline Marks

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2013, 03:28:56 pm »
I don't know but I have another magnolia you can have it you come cut it down. I may even help you cut it.  >:D
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Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2013, 03:44:01 pm »
I've been curious about this as well.  Try it!
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2013, 04:17:04 pm »
Magnolia in generally a soft, weak wood as far as bow woods go. It would probably make good arrows though.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline StickMan47

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2013, 11:13:11 am »
Thanks Pat. That is what I was afraid of. I reckon I'll use em for somethin else. Too bad there ain't no Osage growin round here. Although I did come across a Black Cherry sapling growing in the woods behind the house here. It's got 3 good sized pieces growing outta the ground (about 2 1/2 inches around) that I'm seein a couple of potential bows in.

Marks, I appreciate the offer on your tree but I need to find some good bow wood. I have heard that magnolia makes a beautiful wood for woodworking. I got lots of woodworking wood piled up in the shed though.

Guess I'll keep lookin!
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Makin fine firewood, one bow at a time!

Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2013, 02:20:00 pm »
what color is it?  It may make some nice fishing spools?
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Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2013, 02:37:39 pm »
Stickman, can you really believe a guy with almost 20000 posts?  >:D  C'mon, you should try to make a bow out of it i nthe name of science!
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Florida to Kwajalein to Turkey and back in Florida again.  Good to be home but man was that an adventure!

Offline StickMan47

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2013, 04:17:38 pm »
Prarie, I never thought about making a fishing spool out of it. Thats a good idea though I'm not sure if I got all the tools for a project like that. Magnolia wood is real white, and having never worked with it I can't explain the grain pattern. My Dad does a lot of woodworking and he is the one who told me it is a pretty wood. But he don't make bows! lol.

Tim, yea you are right! Why should I listen to somebody who has made that many bows and bows of exceptional beauty at that! Just kidding Pat. I'm pretty hard headed but your advice is always welcomed. I may just see what I can do with one of them. Like you said "in the name of science". But I'm sure a true bowyer could do it more justice than me. I started an eastern red cedar bow that I haven't quite finished tillering yet. It is a beautiful piece of wood, imo, and is super knotty. I wish it was better for making bows with. I got 3 Osage staves that I can hardly wait to season so I can start on them!

Thanks again for all ya'lls advice. I know I don't post much on here but I reckon as I get more wood under my belt.... dang that didn't come out right at all....  ???   ..... as I build more bows I reckon I'll feel better bout givin advice.
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Offline Ringeck85

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2013, 05:27:16 pm »
I have a lot of southern magnolia growing in the woods where i'm at too. They're beautiful trees :) i'll let them stay that way. Lots of tuliptree too, i have some small logs of that. I cut down a small tree thinking it was maple (the leaves sorta look alike, same with sweetgum) till i looked at a budding leaf and was like, wait that's got four points that's not red maple x_x I think tuliptree is in the magnolia family?  Though the lumber is sometimes sold as "poplar" Anyone try to make a bow from that? Or arrows? I would think it could make arrows if the grain was straight enough.
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"It is how we choose what we do, and how we approach it, that determines whether the sum of our days adds up to a formless blur, or to something resembling a work of art."
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Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2013, 07:36:25 pm »
Yes, 'yellow poplar' or tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is in the magnolia family Magnoliaceae. It's probably the only member of this family with commercial wood? Not a particularly useful family, as far as the wood goes. Soft and pretty weak woods. There's soooo many better alternative bowwoods, that I wouldn't waste my time on any of its members...
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2013, 11:42:09 pm »
Tulip poplar will make great arrows. I have some I got from Stringstretcher that he doweled last year.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Joec123able

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #11 on: March 27, 2013, 12:09:35 am »
Stickman I would go ahead and use tht magnolia to attempt a bow it would be a fun chellenge who cares if no one else has used it I would just try it
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I like osage

Offline criveraville

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #12 on: March 27, 2013, 02:03:37 am »
We had one that died a couple years back. When I cut it up the wood seemed spongy.

Cipriano
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I was HECHO EN MEXICO, but assembled in Texas and I'm Texican as the day is long...  Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Offline Marks

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Re: Anybody use Southern Magnolia for bow wood??
« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2013, 10:38:48 am »
Magnolia cuts like butter with a chainsaw. My Magnolias are cut high enough to mow under them and they are a pain in the rear. In the fall they drop those big seed pods thingamajigers and are a pain to mow over. In the spring when your yard is good and pretty they decide to drop old leaves. I love em if they are grown down to the ground though.
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