Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: seminolewind on March 06, 2014, 12:30:57 pm

Title: I got a dumb question...
Post by: seminolewind on March 06, 2014, 12:30:57 pm
Is lemon wood just wood from a lemon tree or something completely different ?  :o

Thanks yall, one day when I get better at bows I'll sneak out of the flintknapping page and post on here...until then dumb posts like this is all ya get !
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: killir duck on March 06, 2014, 12:33:28 pm
it's a completely different wood, i believe it comes from south amarica.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: DavidV on March 06, 2014, 12:37:23 pm
It goes be Degame half the time if you need help searching.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Sidmand on March 06, 2014, 12:57:18 pm
it's a completely different wood, i believe it comes from south amarica.

yep, different wood.  Native to Cuba, hard/near impossible to get now that there is a trade embargo with them.  Hickory is an excellent substitute according to all of the reading and forum stalking I have done.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Parnell on March 06, 2014, 01:13:27 pm
Once they open that Cuban market, Elijah, we'll be seeing it again.  I don't think it's all that far away...

Anybody know if you can make a Degame selfbow?
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: BOWMAN53 on March 06, 2014, 01:23:09 pm
ive got a question, dont mean to hijack the post. does wood from a lemon tree make a good bow?
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Wiley on March 06, 2014, 01:37:46 pm
Kind of in a similar vein but I was also wondering the other day if anyone has ever tried to make a bow from a lemon tree.

Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Parnell on March 06, 2014, 01:50:46 pm
Lemon trees are more like bushes.  Lots of my neighbors have them down here.  I don't think you would find a stave.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: BOWMAN53 on March 06, 2014, 01:58:10 pm
in cali they are more tree like. youd have to look for a long time to find a straight one though.  i guess you can say its like osage, if you just let it grow its a big thorny bush but with pruning its more tree ish.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Pat B on March 06, 2014, 02:15:31 pm
Eddie Parker may have made a bow from sour(wild) orange from Florida.
  Jordan, I have seen some old lemonwood selfbows. Actually, I have one flat bow and one ELB style.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Wiley on March 06, 2014, 02:16:46 pm
I don't plan to even try it, more of a curiosity. Pictures of lemon "trees" makes me think that if the wood was decent a couple decent sized trunks might be possible to use as billets.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: BOWMAN53 on March 06, 2014, 02:20:07 pm
Eddie Parker may have made a bow from sour(wild) orange from Florida.
  Jordan, I have seen some old lemonwood selfbows. Actually, I have one flat bow and one ELB style.

really? do you have any pictures?
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Pat B on March 06, 2014, 02:26:46 pm
I'll take some.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Dances with squirrels on March 06, 2014, 03:00:41 pm
Parnell, yes lemonwood makes a good selfbow. York mass-produced lemonwood selfbows back in the day.  I have one at home I got from an auction, in the box as a kit the way it was sold with arrows, target, instruction manual, etc.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Sidmand on March 06, 2014, 03:05:53 pm
Here is a link to a 'vintage' buildalong for a lemonwood (Degame) selfbow.  I intend to try to use mostly the same layout for a hickory stave I am working on right now.

http://www.vintageprojects.com/archery/Flatbow-plans.pdf (http://www.vintageprojects.com/archery/Flatbow-plans.pdf)
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: seminolewind on March 06, 2014, 03:15:37 pm
See this is why I spend so much time on this forum, you have a question and it gets answered and them some ! Thanks yall.

There sure are a lot of Cubans washing up on the shore in Florida maybe I'll find some Lemonwood on the beach one of these days  ::)
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: bubby on March 06, 2014, 04:44:20 pm
that link is what I used to build my first bows, and no jordo I didn't get it when it came out :laugh:
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: BOWMAN53 on March 06, 2014, 05:54:22 pm
that link is what I used to build my first bows, and no jordo I didn't get it when it came out :laugh:

I was actually gonna ask if that was you in the picture.
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: bubby on March 06, 2014, 06:46:15 pm
that the best you got boy
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: BOWMAN53 on March 06, 2014, 06:52:35 pm
actually, with what i got to work with, yes lol
Title: Re: I got a dumb question...
Post by: Crogacht on March 06, 2014, 11:24:24 pm
There's a lemonwood in New Zealand too. We call it a Pittosporum. Not related as far as I know, and no idea on suitability as bow wood (yet).