Author Topic: bow woods  (Read 3636 times)

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Offline Nemo66

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bow woods
« on: December 26, 2013, 02:48:21 pm »
Just started leaning to make bows. I have been making stringed folk instruments using alot of mahogany. How good is mahogany for bow making or using it for a 1/8th backing on other woods?

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2013, 03:02:49 pm »
Welcome.  From what I have read on here,  mahogany is a little too brittle to be a good bow wood.  The search block works great on this site.  You might put in "mahogany" and see what has been posted in the past.  I have never used it, but it is beautiful wood.   
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline Newindian

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2013, 04:06:11 pm »
From what I understand it isn't a bow wood, although you can make one from it if you really want to
I like free stuff.

Offline bow101

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2013, 10:58:35 pm »
Osage is king from what I hear.  In my parts we aint got any Osage. Just the infamous Yew. Other than that for Board bows I like maple. Or you can use Hickory, ash, some cherry, vine maple, red oak, white oak, hawthorn, elm and others... I'm sure others will drop in and tell ya. For backing I know many use Bamboo.
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."  Joseph Campbell

Offline wood_bandit 99

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #4 on: December 26, 2013, 11:37:46 pm »
Osage is king from what I hear.  In my parts we aint got any Osage. Just the infamous Yew. Other than that for Board bows I like maple. Or you can use Hickory, ash, some cherry, vine maple, red oak, white oak, hawthorn, elm and others... I'm sure others will drop in and tell ya. For backing I know many use Bamboo.

I like how you said "infamous", it made me instantly think about how much I spent on it and I wasn't too happy with it :D osage is king but yew is fun to scrape if you want a break  :laugh:
"Judge a man by his questions, not his answers" ~Anonymous

   "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it." ~Chinese Proverb

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2013, 08:08:07 am »
Yah, yew is junk. Its lucky to win BOM every other month because it breaks so easy. I don't know why I keep going back to it? 
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline RyanR

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2013, 10:52:30 am »
Yah, yew is junk. Its lucky to win BOM every other month because it breaks so easy. I don't know why I keep going back to it?
Yes I agree in fact I recommend you package it all up and send it to me and I will dispose of it properly. >:D

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2013, 11:05:05 am »
Yah, yew is junk. Its lucky to win BOM every other month because it breaks so easy. I don't know why I keep going back to it?
Yes I agree in fact I recommend you package it all up and send it to me and I will dispose of it properly. >:D

Yeah I hear it's a TAXUS waste material!   >:D >:D >:D

OneBow

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #8 on: December 27, 2013, 10:27:45 pm »
Poor guy.  One post and he is already being sucked into the osage v yew debate!! :D
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline RyanY

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #9 on: December 27, 2013, 10:59:08 pm »
You can make a good bow from poplar. Plus it's easy to find good straight grained boards.  8)

Offline Dan K

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2013, 11:57:18 pm »
I've always heard it's the bowyer that tames the wood, if you can make a true yew bow you've graduated 8)
Excellence is a state of mind.  Whether you think you can or can't...you're right!

Offline wood_bandit 99

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2013, 12:38:36 am »
Poor guy.  One post and he is already being sucked into the osage v yew debate!! :D

LOL now I will be known as the guy who hates yew   >:D every time I post something about yew everyone always pulls up this debate  ::)  ;)  ;D
"Judge a man by his questions, not his answers" ~Anonymous

   "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it." ~Chinese Proverb

Offline Bryce

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2013, 12:49:22 am »
Yah, yew is junk. Its lucky to win BOM every other month because it breaks so easy. I don't know why I keep going back to it?

 ;D


Clatskanie, Oregon

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2013, 09:42:39 am »
Nemo, to answer your question. Mahoganey isn't good bow wood. Id suggest using it for handles and overlays rather than letting it bend at all.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: bow woods
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2013, 10:57:00 am »
Depends on which species of Mahogany you may be referring to.  Santos Mahogany is a tough wood. 

I remember 35 years ago when I was working in a motorcycle shop the Japanese bikes were shipped in containers that had a wood frame made up of 2X2 hardwood lumber and then cardboard stapled to that.  The wood was for the most part Mahogany, which we would break up as fuel to heat the shop.  Every once in awhile I would hit a piece that would not break easily.  I don't know which species of Mahogany it was but it was some tough stuff
Home of heat-treating, Corbeil, On.  Canada

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