Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: kiwijim on January 11, 2012, 12:57:44 am
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Hi Guys,
I have been offered the trees of a pistashio orchard before it gets ripped out. These trees are beautiful, straight and clear :D. I know the saying that nearly any fruit or nut tree will make a bow, but does anyone out there have specific experience with this wood? If so, how did you find it?
Regards
James
Not but bee stings be my arrows
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I got a few small pieces to make risers out of. If you can get a tree, snag it!!
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I would get all I could haul wether it makes a good bow or not. Absolutely beautiful wood.
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Cheers Guys,
Stiks and Strings, you are right, it is a beautiful wood, and if there is a good amount of heart wood in the trunks, I will mill the whole 50 or so trees. The very best ones will be split into staves regardless of heartwood content.
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I had to look it up and it sure is nice looking wood. Post pics once it is lumbered.
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Save the branches to trade to the flute makers. ;D
Also the smaller stuff would make some great footings on arrows.
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Put me down for some! Uhh, does Kiwi mean you are in NZ?
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I would be curious to see how it comes out. That wood grows all over Brazil where I work, and I also know where some is in Tampa, Fl. It is related to the Mango, Poison Oak and Ivy family. I believe it's the same tree that is in the Carribean they call the Custard Apple.
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I remember hearing somewhere that the shells of pistachio nuts have a toxic oil in them, very nasty. How about the wood?
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I'm not sure about the wood, but I'd bet on it. Pistachios from what I was told in Brazil are poisonous till they are cooked.
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...and worse than crack cocaine after they are cooked!
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I'm not sure about the wood, but I'd bet on it. Pistachios from what I was told in Brazil are poisonous till they are cooked.
I think that's Cashews.
Which when combined with Pistachios make a sort of nut 8 ball.
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I'm not sure about the wood, but I'd bet on it. Pistachios from what I was told in Brazil are poisonous till they are cooked.
I think that's Cashews.
Which when combined with Pistachios make a sort of nut 8 ball.
Oh lord, 'stash-o's AND 'shews together? :'(
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Cheers for the input guys :D
The question is; have any of you made a bow from it?
regards
James
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Pretty safe to say no one here has tackled this wood.
That's not to say it has never been done or, heaven help us, can't be done. If you can get your hands on some staves there is no reason to not experiment.
Try a bend-thru-the-handle bow 1 1/4" wide twice your draw length plus a few inches just for safety. Go for a middlling draw weight like 40-45 lbs. Depending on how that behaves will indicate what the wood will handle.
For example, it takes great set. That tells you it is weak in compression and would need to be wider. If the back fails you got a wood that needs a backing because it sucks in tension. If it makes a light weight, fast shooting bow with little handshock I'll be open to trade for a stave or two. It's a nut tree so there is a good chance you have access to some good wood. Pity there is just no research out there to tap into before you start.
To my mind the worst case scenario would not be spending a pile of hours to discover it's crappy wood. Bad would be defined by learning it is great wood and I only had the one stave, now they are all cut down and a housing development took their place.