« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 5

Author Topic: poplar as bow wood  (Read 33303 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline ohiocountryboy

  • Member
  • Posts: 57
poplar as bow wood
« on: May 08, 2013, 06:46:14 pm »
Any good? I always see it at the hardware stores and like the look of it and wonder if it can make a decent bow. Thanks for your help. Mike
« Last Edit: May 08, 2013, 06:56:15 pm by ohiocountryboy »
Logged

Offline Newindian

  • Member
  • Posts: 734
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2013, 06:48:05 pm »
No
Logged
I like free stuff.

Offline sonny

  • Member
  • Posts: 742
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2013, 06:49:12 pm »
makes great arrows though!
Logged
Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Offline Onebowonder

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,495
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2013, 06:59:51 pm »
Pretty good for Atlatl darts as well if you need a heavy MASTADON CLASS Atlatl rig. (...and who doesn't need such!?!?!?) >:D ;D :laugh:

OneBow
Logged

Offline Ifrit617

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,596
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2013, 07:42:04 pm »
Talk to Ryoon. He has a thing for the stuff.  >:D >:D >:D

Jon
Logged

Offline bushboy

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,257
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2013, 08:02:14 pm »
Maybe google ...potenial bow woods ..by tim baker. Think he stated to look for wood with a specfic gravity of .50 and over as a base line. Basically any hardwood with proper design and good grain can be fashioned into a bow.I think popular is about .40 sg so not the best chioce for a durabile bow imho.
Logged
Some like motorboats,I like kayaks,some like guns,I like bows,but not the wheelie type.

Offline bubby

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,054
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2013, 08:04:39 pm »
yeah poplar is 37 or lower based on type, ryoon did make one I think it was 4" wide
Logged
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline RyanY

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,005
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2013, 08:26:17 pm »
Best wood around!  ;D Not really but you can definitely make bows with it. Just make it wide and long to give yourself plenty to work with. The downside is how soft it is since it gets dinged up really easily. Should make a good shooting bow if designed well though.
Logged

Offline Joec123able

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,769
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2013, 08:43:45 pm »
Any wood can make a bow just with the right design. I think poplar works ok for light weight bows
Logged
I like osage

Offline dmc

  • Member
  • Posts: 136
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #9 on: May 08, 2013, 09:15:34 pm »
I think I saw it on a bow handle here somewhere. If I remember right, it looked pretty good.
Logged
Carpe Diem- Seize the Day!!

Offline Thesquirrelslinger

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,245
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #10 on: May 08, 2013, 09:51:59 pm »
Wide and long. Or light weight. Plus its diffuse porus ring... makes it useless to chase a ring.
But it DOES make amazing arrows... Its light.
 find a red oak, maple, hickory, or other HEAVY strong hardwood 1x2 and you can make a good bow from it:P
I have a half-tillered red oak bow, 70" NTN, it currently draws #95@10"... One limb is pretty stiff. Tips are only 1" wide :o
Red oak seems to take set easy, but it doesn't rise over time. Is there a simple reason for this?
Logged
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

Offline George Tsoukalas

  • Member
  • Posts: 9,425
    • Traditional and Primitive Archers
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2013, 10:13:56 pm »
It's a good arrow wood but a marginal bow wood. Red oak is a much better choice. Yiogo
Logged
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline RyanY

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,005
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2013, 10:14:04 pm »
Guys, Poplar will make heavier bows if wide enough. The bow I made was built to the extreme and only took 1" of set. As for ring chasing, I've chased rings on just about everything (yew included) so I don't see why poplar would be different. Maybe if I can find time I'll build one that you can shoot an arrow with.

Thesquirrelslinger, I haven't seen red oak behave any differently than other bows if designed well. If you're pulling bows to 95# and only want a 50# bow then that's probably why they're taking set because you're stressing them way more than they ever will be.
Logged

Offline Thesquirrelslinger

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,245
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2013, 10:32:39 pm »
its with a long string. Plus I want it around 75-80 pounds. I want to make a RO longbow....
Ryoon, Poplar is diffuse porous. It is LESS LIKELY to splinter if you DON't chase a ring. Speaking from experiance.
I mean like it takes 1" of set when tillering to only 5 inches or so, but then it stays that way when you get it to 27".  i find it very wierd.
Logged
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

Offline RyanY

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,005
Re: poplar as bow wood
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2013, 10:36:19 pm »
Gotcha. 1" of set a 5" of bend sounds like a broken bow to me.  ???
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 5
« previous next »