Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: blades7558 on October 08, 2012, 09:39:29 pm

Title: wood ID please!
Post by: blades7558 on October 08, 2012, 09:39:29 pm

A friend dropped these and a few eastern red cedars off for free with only a promise to make him a bow, he thought it was an osage because of the yellow but I'm pretty sure it is a locust. I'm just not 100% on which type of locust it is. It has kind of loose growth rings and white sap wood.

If it is locust, what part of the tree should I use? just heart wood or doesn't it matter?

THANKS!

Title: Re: wood ID please!
Post by: paulsemp on October 08, 2012, 09:46:52 pm

looks like mulberry to me

Title: Re: wood ID please!
Post by: missilemaster on October 08, 2012, 10:05:18 pm

Mullberry

Title: Re: wood ID please!
Post by: blackhawk on October 08, 2012, 10:40:53 pm

Yup,and its best to chase a heartwood ring for the back of the bow,but first you got some splitting and seasoning to do

Title: Re: wood ID please!
Post by: Pat B on October 09, 2012, 12:18:05 am

With those thick rings and the bark I'd say mulberry also. You can build a bow with any of the wood but the heartwood is best. It will compete with osage but will be 10% bigger than the same weight osage bow. It is physically lighter so that almost evens them out.

Title: Re: wood ID please!
Post by: cornus on October 09, 2012, 08:17:09 am

Beautiful heartwood color. Yellow wood is good bowwood :)

Title: Re: wood ID please!
Post by: Parnell on October 09, 2012, 10:23:21 am

I'm surprised we don't see more mulberry wood being used.  I just planted a tree the other day, now i just got to give it twenty years, I suppose!