Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: hawkbow on February 23, 2008, 11:37:58 pm
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Hello to all of you bowyers.. I was wondering if anyone has ever used iron wood for building a board bow... I recently came across some iron wood about ten foot long by inchand a half tick by four inches wide ..looks like some dense wood and very heavy... I am hunter not a bowyer ... so please don't raz me too much ;D...if this wood is not usable for a bow....any help would be very much appreciated....my one and only self bow got broken a while back so have been shooting a custom built osage laminate stick bow ... thanks in advance for your insight regarding this wood ... Mike A/ho
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I believe its hop horn beam and yes it will make an excellent bow! Ten feet! Many bows!
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Hawkbow I have never personally built a bow out of Ironwood but I do have a video by I belive its Murray Gaskin , that shows a Ironwood bow
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Are there any tricks of the trade when it comes to working this hardwood....I am afraid of ruining the wood before i ever get started.. i have built two ash self bows but that is the extent of my bowyer skills....Mike a/ho
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Im wanting to say that it works like hickory but trying to recall video,please wait for more advice from someone that has actually worked it at least with ten foot you have a practice piece
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Mike ...is this real Ironwood..or Hop Hornbeam?? If it's Desert Ironwood...I am not too sure how it will work for a Bow...looks great as Knife Scales...or Pistol Grips..I have made a Bunch of them.......but if it's Hop Hornbeam....it is good Bow wood...and can be worked like most other Whitwoods....peel the Bark off...and theres your Bows Back....and if you go to Jawges site..he has all of the Information that you can imagine to help you out...... http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html
Minwaadizi
Michael
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Yankee,I am not sure what the wood actually is. one of the log homes we are working on built the deck out of the wood..and they called it Iron wood...the wood is dark like walnut..and very heave and dense.... Mike A/ho
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Yankee,I am not sure what the wood actually is. one of the log homes we are working on built the deck out of the wood..and they called it Iron wood...the wood is dark like walnut..and very heave and dense.... Mike A/ho
Does it look like any of these???
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/ironwood,%20desert.htm
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The pic under web pics ... plank closeups .. looks like the second picture...Mike
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Some places sell Ipe as Ironwood, just as a heads-up.
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Hi, If a deck was being made out of this stuff, it seems very unlikely to be desert Ironwood! Desert Ironwood is beautiful, but I thought it only comes in awfully small pieces. Given the current popularity, ( and relatively low cost) of tropical hardwoods for decks, my own guess would be some South American import. Ipe comes to mind and looks something like the second set of pics. In addition, one of the big importers of Ipe does business as "Ironwoods" Anyway, anything that dense will probably make a bow if the grain is straight. Hawkbow, you might want to look up some of the threads on baking bows out of Ipe, or get a copy of the back issue of Primitive Archer with the article on making bows of Ipe.
Ron
PS Looks like somebody else is thinking along the same lines.
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Mike....Ron is right on one thing for sure...I didn't read close enough.....you would never get Desert Ironwood long enough to build a Deck out of it..... It grows very gnarly and short...so I bet it is Ipe or some other South American Rainforest Hardwood......Ipe makes a good Bow....I have never made one without a Backing ...though it has been done....do a search on this Board....you will find quite a Bit on it
Minwaabamewizi ningwi
Michael
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Mike, I'd bet it is Ipe. "iron wood" is a common name and depending on where you are in the world, it could be 1 of 1000(or more) different woods, just because it is hard. Ipe is used around the country as an outside decking and I have heard it called iron wood. To me, it has a spicy smell to it when scraped, and very oily wood.
If it is Ipe, it makes great bows. I have made hickory backed bows with it and know of others that have made self bows with Ipe. Grain configuration(if you can see it) is critical for self bows but with the boards being 1 1/2" thick, you might be able to chase a ring to get a continuous ring from tip to tip. If so, you won't need another backing.
What is your draw length and weight preference. This can help to determine what design and length to go with. Pat
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Mike a picture would help ;)
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I guess it depends where you come from but, hophornbeam is also called ironwood.
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Hophornbean is a white wood. No way to confuse it with ipe if you have the two together.
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Justin just posted a real nice ipe selfbow a while back.
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Thanks guys for all the help I will be back on the job late next week so will pick up the wood and post a pic.. Mike a/ho