Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: NTProf on December 28, 2010, 11:42:04 pm
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I am moving to Denver Colorado (from Massachusetts) this summer! My questions for those of you who make bows in CO: 1) since it is a drier climate than New England are there woods that will work better? Most of my bows have been built from maple and oak, and a couple from birch. Will these still work, or will it be too dry? What else would you recommend? 2) what woods are available in CO for bowmaking? Thanks a lot.
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Hickory loves low humidity and can take it and shine. 6% m/c is ideal to get hickory cooking and most other woods will fail at that m/c. In Colorado you could find and use juniper, service berry, choke cherry and yew.
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Howdy, I live in CA, but have carried my bows to NE on vacation and collected wood in NE. Relative humidity will be lower, especially during the winter, but I don't think you'll have any problems with the woods you mentioned. The plains of eastern Co are largely treeless, but trees can be found along the foot hills and along water out on the plains. Three woods that I know you can find in the Denver area and east are;
1) junipers--ERC and Rocky Mountain juniper will both work though a backing of sinew or rawhide would be insurance against breaking.
2) Russian olive can be found throughout the great plains. It's an invasive exotic, so feel free to cut all you want ( with the landowner's permission.) I have yet to obtain a stave of this, but by all reports, it works well.
3) Elms Siberian elm is another exotic, locals will call it 'chinese' elm. It was and is widely planted for windrows. It's not as strong as some other elms but can provide some nice straight staves if you're wiling to go to the work of splitting elm. Use plenty of wedges! American elm is also available, but more likely to be a street tree.
Other trees that you might be able to find; osage orange- not native but it was occasionally planted as hedges in Nebraska and possibly in eastern CO
Choke cherry- more likely to be found in the foothills
Ash- A tree that I've seen along the north platte river in western NE, but I'm not sure how wide spread it is in CO.
Mulberry- White and red mulberries are spread across the great plains.
Other's who are living in the area may be able to add to the list. I now that bcbull is not too far away. maybe he'll chime in. Ron
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Wow. Thanks for the extremely helpful advice. Keep in coming.
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ok ron about coverd it ha what i mostly get here is the russian olive and elms and tons of juniper my favorite next to yew you will find some black locust but not a lot most of the hedge here is in southern colo from what i have found if u like bord bows there is a lot of ipe, and other good bow wood at most of the hard wood dealers id say everything iv made here has done well havent yet found a wood that wont work here when you get here give me a hollar well see if we can hook up brock
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Movin out to Denver huh? When and what are you going to be doing out there. Reason I ask is because I live in C-Springs. Anyways, best of luck with the move and yes, hickory works awesome out here...
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0209,
I am going to be a professor at Denver Seminary (teaching New Testament and Greek). We will be moving in July.
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Ah, now the NTProf makes sense. My daughter lives in a Denver burb. It's quite a drive, but if we ever drive up that way I'll see if there's room for an osage stave or 2. My wife doesn't usually see the need for wood in the car so it's often a struggle. Maybe some billets... ;)
George
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One of my daughters is teaching school in Leadville.
Something that alot of guys don't check out ,out here, is the tree service companies. Denver will have a bunch of them and no telling how many species in a town. They cut up alot of nice town tree's for firewood that would be great bow wood. Mulberry, maples, black walnut, etc. If there was money involved,they might just give you a call before tuning some straight trunk into 16 " rounds. Possibility ' Frank
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Wow. Thanks for all the advice. I was wondering if my bow making would go on hold after I moved to Denver, but it looks like it won't. I would love to try an osage stave.