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Author Topic: Big Box Store Maple Boards  (Read 2074 times)

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Offline IrishJay

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Big Box Store Maple Boards
« on: March 18, 2019, 04:41:01 pm »
I was at the Home Depot today to pick out a board for a board bow project I'll be starting soon. I ended up with a really nice, straight grained red oak. But, while I was there I looked through their whole "hardwoods" section just for the heck of it. At this particular location all they carry is red oak, poplar and maple. There was a maple board with really nice straight grain that I almost bought, but wasn't sure what species of maple it was, and I know there is a lot of difference between the properties of the various maples.

Does anyone have any idea what species of maple you're most likely to get from a big box store? Anyone have any luck making board bows from store bought maple?
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Offline DC

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2019, 04:58:19 pm »
I believe they call it "Hard Maple" which is a term used to cover a few species of Maple. I think you're pretty safe using it though. Homedepot here doesn't have anything but Red Oak.
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2019, 05:18:01 pm »
I'll keep that in mind for next time, it was a good looking board, I was just unsure so I stuck to what I know an got the red oak.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2019, 05:30:17 pm »
Maple backed red oak would be a fine combo.
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2019, 05:46:40 pm »
This next bows going to be a single board bow just to test out a limb profile that's going to be heat bent one limb at a time on a single ended form. If the profile works well I'll be 3D printing up a full length bow form with integral clamps to reproduce the limb profile in a laminate bow, maybe I'll give the maple/oak combo a go for my first laminate bow.
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Offline Knoll

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2019, 07:19:15 pm »
Go back and grab that pc of maple!     ;D

In my experience, big box stores that stock "maple" it's all one of the hard maple group of species. All (assuming appropriate grain orientation), good for bows.
Usually sugar maple.
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2019, 08:04:58 pm »
For a lam bow of maple and red oak how thick would you cut the lams? I'm thinking 1/4" maple, 1/2" oak and do all the tillering on the oak belly, for ~50# on a 72" bow.
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Offline Woodely

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2019, 08:11:02 pm »
Most people out west refer to Sugar maple as Eastern maple.  The Big leaf maple is to soft. You can still get maple syrup from the ones out west but you require twice the juice to make the same as the Eastern variety.  Apparently the western syrup is better.
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Offline DC

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2019, 08:16:34 pm »
It's not. At least not the stuff I made. Quite bitter and it took $30 of propane the make a couple of cups of syrup. The sap itself is excellent. Very refreshing but we're straying from the topic ;D
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Offline Woodely

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2019, 08:10:53 am »
Oh..
« Last Edit: March 19, 2019, 08:22:21 am by Woodely »
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2019, 08:15:03 am »
Heck, you can make syrup from boxelder. But you better own several oil wells and keep your production expectations under strict control!

Agreed with everyone else. Go back and get that board.  Nice grain maple (or any board) at box stores is a rare find. 
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Offline Woodely

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2019, 08:25:20 am »
Quote from: JW_Halverson on March 19, 2019, 08:15:03 am
Heck, you can make syrup from boxelder. But you better own several oil wells and keep your production expectations under strict control!

Agreed with everyone else. Go back and get that board.  Nice grain maple (or any board) at box stores is a rare find.

Normally they have over 50 in the stack 1x4 and 1x2 and I can find at least 2-3 really good ones every time I stop in.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2019, 08:34:37 am »
Are you in heaven? Cuz that sounds like heaven to me.  I might find two or three boards in a year going to our two box stores!
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Offline Woodely

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2019, 08:35:40 am »
This is me and thats your circumstance.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Big Box Store Maple Boards
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2019, 08:39:18 am »
Living in a bow wood desert has made me very conservative in my bow making. I am much more risk averse in my designs, thinking, and actions because of it.  I have to wonder how much faster I would have learned if I could have afforded more risks and mistakes?

Have at'em, buddy!  And don't forget to post pics as you go!
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