Author Topic: Hackberry score!  (Read 2250 times)

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Offline DLH

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Hackberry score!
« on: May 23, 2013, 11:30:54 pm »
My good friend wants to build himself a bow. So I told him we could go find a nice straight tree to fell for staves. We ended up going on his grandpas land which I think is great because it will have sentimental value for him. I wanted to find something that didn't have much saw value so we ended up finding a nice straight hackberry. Do you think I led him in the right direction I am very new to this myself? I have been giving him some advice but I will have to ask some questions on here  since my advice will be very limited. Should I try to get him to let those dry for a year or qucik dry one? Well anyways here is the tree we ended up with.





We sealed the ends with shellac and back with shellac and have them quartered hopefully split them more this coming weekend. Ended up with 4 six foot sections. Believe it or not they split a lot easier then the osage up at Dave's Moontree Farm Rendezvous.

Offline Newindian

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2013, 11:49:32 pm »
I would quick dry one or two it looks like you have the wood to spare
I like free stuff.

Offline TRACY

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2013, 11:49:57 pm »
Yes, nice score! Looks like a lot of good staves in those logs. Pearl Drum or Blackhawks have some good dimensions and instructions for a hackberry bow toasted and reflexed. Good luck!


Tracy
It is what it is - make the most of it!    PN500956

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2013, 12:23:08 am »
Nice haul.  Did you peal the bark off of them?
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Joec123able

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2013, 12:27:53 am »
Some awesome bow wood hackberry is probably my favorite white wood for making bows and if you steam it it bends like rubber no joke
I like osage

Offline Squirrelslayer

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2013, 06:14:01 am »
sweet! I can't even split my log which is 7" in diameter. keep it up! SS
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2013, 09:40:53 am »
Some awesome bow wood hackberry is probably my favorite white wood for making bows and if you steam it it bends like rubber no joke

I know, I am still loving hackberry. It is a good choice for a first bow as there are usually no knots or anything, it is usually pretty straight, and makes a fast shooting bow. But it can take set, of course you gotta learn how to deal with that, and you get alot of usable staves usually out of one good sized hackberry tree.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline DLH

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2013, 10:23:30 am »
Nice haul.  Did you peal the bark off of them?

Yeah Clint we peeled the bark off and sprayed the back with shellac. Hopefully get it split more this weekend and prolly shellac again. I was hoping to do the Pearl Drums build along with one of the staves next year.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2013, 10:26:34 am by DLH »

blackhawk

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2013, 10:14:08 pm »
Cool Dan...looks like some nice pipe straight stuff....I'd reduce several down to stiff floor tiller dimensions(but don't bend it past a few inches of tip movement when green) to get some good practice with the hand tools and get em quick dried....then do some research on how to properly use hackberry...lots of info out there has been said .#1 is making sure the moisture content in the wood dry and #2 is to temper the belly after ya make it the right dimension of course to suit the right weight and draw...and if ya still have any questions feel free to ask me....again...lol ;)  :laugh:

Offline DLH

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Re: Hackberry score!
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2013, 11:03:47 pm »
Will do Chris I'm sure I will have some questions along the way. I was thinking reducing the thickness down to an inch leaving it full width (2in) for a couple weeks then reducing the width I think I saw that on an old thread about hackberry is that what you would do?