Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: huntertrapper on February 03, 2008, 03:41:37 pm

Title: Maple
Post by: huntertrapper on February 03, 2008, 03:41:37 pm

Does maple make a good bow wood.

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: Kegan on February 03, 2008, 03:47:11 pm

Yup- vine maple and rock maples make excellent bows, and even some of the poorer ones can make good backed bows. Most maples are good in compression.

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: DanaM on February 03, 2008, 03:57:54 pm

I think Norway will also be fine unbacked and I would hesitate to use red maple unbacked either.
Hard(Rock) is definately good.
Your softer maples just need to be a little wider.

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on February 03, 2008, 04:38:36 pm

sugar maple is good too.

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: DanaM on February 03, 2008, 05:06:09 pm

Sugar, hard, and rock are all the same

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on February 03, 2008, 07:50:13 pm

different places, different names i guess. i always wondered where i could get rock maple...turns out I have it all along....in the same wood

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: venisonburger on February 03, 2008, 07:55:27 pm

Yup! my wood of choice, hard maple!
VB

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: El Destructo on February 03, 2008, 11:29:26 pm

I have used Hard Rock....Silver...Vine and Birdseye Maple....and I have never been disappointed with one of them....they all made great Bow Woods

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: huntertrapper on February 03, 2008, 11:34:19 pm

sugar maple is good? the kind you get sap out of for a strong bow?

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: DanaM on February 04, 2008, 08:30:49 am

yes huntertrapper sugar maple is good.

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: Badger on February 04, 2008, 09:39:45 am

     Maple has always been one of my favorites. Seems like I can get consistently good bows from it. Steve

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: jamie on February 04, 2008, 09:54:17 am

excellent arrow wood also. grain weight and spine can vary a lot in most woods. maple is very consistent

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 04, 2008, 11:13:33 am

Yes, it is good. I haven't built that many from it but I'v used maple boards and red maple. Jawge

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: snedeker on February 04, 2008, 11:22:53 am

I have a Norway maple almost done.  Surprised me how good it is.

Dave

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: adb on February 04, 2008, 12:39:29 pm

Maple is awesome bow wood. Keep it a bit wider. I have made maple selfbows, but I usually back it with hickory. It's a very patriotic wood for us Canadians, considering the maple leaf is on our flag!!
I know everyone has seen these before, but they're both maple Holmies. One is backed with hickory, and the other is a selfbow.

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Title: Re: Maple
Post by: huntertrapper on February 04, 2008, 06:10:30 pm

okay thanks all

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: huntertrapper on February 04, 2008, 08:30:07 pm

would a sugar maple limb be okay for a bow? i have 4 or 5 big maples in my yard and there's tons of big branches.

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on February 04, 2008, 08:44:05 pm

yup, a limb is fine, just try and find one thats a little extra wide- Ryan

Title: Re: Maple
Post by: Kegan on February 04, 2008, 09:02:20 pm

I made a maple limb bow a year or two ago. Decrowned it and got it to 2" wide. The handle needed a piece glued on though to give it depth.