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Author Topic: Cucumber tree  (Read 1969 times)

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Offline Zedd

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Cucumber tree
« on: June 24, 2019, 08:58:00 pm »
Quick question...is cucumber tree good as a bow wood? Its supposed to have similar characteristics as poplar,  so I am leaning to probably not.
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Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Cucumber tree
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2019, 09:53:55 pm »
Never heard of it before, where does it grow and what is the scientific name?
Hawkdancer
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Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Zedd

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Re: Cucumber tree
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2019, 10:00:16 pm »
Magnolia acuminata, eastern us to southern Ontario. Very large leaves. Got a bunch on my property  and is tough on the chain saw. At least when its green.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Cucumber tree
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2019, 08:51:43 am »
Zedd, we have cucumber trees along with other deciduous magnolias here but I never thought of them as bow wood. That said...you won't know til you try.  ;)
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline gifford

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Re: Cucumber tree
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2019, 03:25:53 pm »
A useful indicator of a wood's suitability is specific gravity. The specific gravity of magnolia acuminate is 48 or so. The specific gravity of tulip polplar is about 0.40, compared to 0.60 for red oak or 0.70 for hickory. So while the wood may work for light to medium weight bow there are other woods which are more suitable. But as was said, give it shot, it may work for you.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Cucumber tree
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2019, 01:24:55 pm »
Quote from: gifford on June 25, 2019, 03:25:53 pm
A useful indicator of a wood's suitability is specific gravity. The specific gravity of magnolia acuminate is 48 or so. The specific gravity of tulip polplar is about 0.40, compared to 0.60 for red oak or 0.70 for hickory. So while the wood may work for light to medium weight bow there are other woods which are more suitable. But as was said, give it shot, it may work for you.

Yeah, woods low in specific gravity like yew will never work!   >:D

Most bowyers now find that within a particular species there is great variation in the S.G. from tree to tree but within the species the denser staves tend to be the better performers. Whether a particular wood is prone to working well or not depends less on S.G. and more on elasticity. 
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline DC

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Re: Cucumber tree
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2019, 08:11:14 am »
I think you have to judge each species on it's own merits. When I'm thinking about this I always think about Maple. Sugar Maple, Vine Maple, Douglas Maple make good bows. Big Leafed,Red(I think),Sycamore don't. They are all Maples(Acer) but thir bow making qualities are all over the map. Just because a man's name is Lennon doesn't mean he can write music.
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