Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: paulc on July 27, 2009, 09:27:41 am

Title: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: paulc on July 27, 2009, 09:27:41 am

My latest attempt at a bow (I have yet to be successful) is bamboo backed birch.  I know the tree as sweet birch or cherry bark birch here in GA.  Anyone worked with it before?  Any thoughts?  Have I already messed up trying to back birch with bamboo?

TIA, Paulc

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: radius on July 27, 2009, 10:48:52 am

some guy last year made some cool birch bows...left the bark on, i think!

I wanna make some bows with the white birch that grows around here...that wood is HARD

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: adb on July 27, 2009, 11:10:08 am

I haven't personally made a bow from birch, but I know people who have. Treat it like most whitewoods... wide, flat and long.

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: OldBow on July 27, 2009, 12:02:38 pm

Makes great arrow shafts ;)

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: Herm from Bavaria on July 27, 2009, 03:58:11 pm

hey folks

doesnt boo overpower birch on belly?

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: indygoman on July 27, 2009, 09:50:59 pm

Her ya go !

This is from another site but atleast ya know its duable . ;)  I am also working on one right now so far so good   :D

Heres the link

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/18242/t/Bow-3-Nasty-My-Second-River-Birch-Bow-Full-Draw-Added.html

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: snedeker on July 28, 2009, 11:13:57 am

I made a board  bow, sil backed, from sweet birch two years ago and found it to be similar to sweet maple in characteristics. 

Dave

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: radius on July 28, 2009, 11:18:44 am

indygoman, i think the birch bow on that link has too much set...no?

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: Del the cat on July 28, 2009, 06:09:43 pm

I made a 'Birch' Bow, with the bark left on the back either side of where it was de-crowned.
However, on reflection, I think it's actually Hazel....  :-[ Still it shoots sweet and fast.
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/deerbow.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/fulldraw.jpg)

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: Hillbilly on July 28, 2009, 07:31:35 pm

I would guess that birch wouldn't be a great bellywood candidate for a bamboo backing, but all things are possible-I've seen several birch bows but never worked with it myself. I've heard people  (myself included) tell someone that you can't make a bow from this wood or that wood or with that design, and then they turn around and make a nice bow from it anyway. I would trap the boo so that it is narrower than the birch, make it as long as possible, and go really slow on the tillering-a slight hinge will probably be likely to chrysal. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out. We have loads of sweet and yellow birch here, too. Is the birch from a stave or board?

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: indygoman on August 02, 2009, 11:13:01 am

you guys are right !

This is a good bow wood with a light backing ...I am working on one right now.What I did is backed it with burlap and so far so good ...It may set but I think if you are carefull on exercising the limbs you should have no problems ...I am no expert but I've caused some pretty serious set getting too excited and exercising the limb a little too fast and hard past the draw length  ;).

Title: Re: Anyone work with birch?
Post by: El Destructo on August 02, 2009, 11:31:52 am

Like Hillbilly said...Birch is not a good candidate for Boo....the Wood won't havle the stress....I have made several Bows from Birch...River...Paper....and Yellow....and none of them were ever backed...the best bet is to make them wide....flat....and not over say 50-55 pounds....or they will take a lot of set and do not perform well once the Cells are compressed like that.....JMO

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