Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on January 24, 2018, 07:05:16 pm
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This is a 2"x10"x4' Rock Maple (Sugar Maple)board I found today. The edge grain on the narrow side looks great I think. I followed one grain line with a Sharpie. On the flat side the grain looks OK on the flat side for half the board and I don't know for the other half. It was split on this face so I followed the split with the Sharpie. I did the same on the end. I'm hoping to cut backing from this and maybe even a couple of billets. What do you think?
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wished I could find a chunk like that. I like maple for a backing. seems like diffuse porous woods are a bit more tolerant to runout than ring porous
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Don't know but I bit you get some billets for sure though. Good luck with the build. Never worked maple before. Arvin
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Looks like a nice, knot free Sugar Maple board. I think it should work great for what you have in mind. I have lots of Sugar Maple in my bush, so let me know how you make out!
I wouldn't mind trying to make a bow from one myself. I am thinking though, that I should use a younger tree that was forced to grow nice and straight without too many bottom branches.
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This is the first board I have ever bought for bow making and I really wasn't sure if if was good enough. While I was at Windsor Plywood I was talking to the guys and apparently they have guys that keep their eyes open for nice straight grained wood so you can order "bow wood" from them.
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Im sure you will make good use of that DC. Lots of projects in that piece of wood.
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I think you can definitely get some backing strips and billets from that. Looks real good in my estimation, though I haven't used maple before, I had a similar hickory board I got a lot from.
At 10" wide, you could theoretically get 4 two-inch wide billets, and have about 1.5" to rip some backing strips. If you went 1/4" per strip, might get 4 backing strips. Or go for 2 billets and a lot more backing strips. I'd go for more backing strips if it were me.
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Is there a way to test backing strips to see if they'll hold up or is it called making a bow? My brother-in-law just got a brand new hi-tech table saw so I'll get him to cut off a dozen or so strips. If I tried to use mine i would probably start a fire :D
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Sorry but I probably wouldn't use that for backing strips
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Can I ask why?
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Pending Marc's response, I'm sure he has good reason, if you want to test it as a backing, you could rip an 1/8 inch strip and do a bend test to see how it holds up. Understanding all the bending will be in the middle, but if it holds up to a good bend before breaking, I'd think that'd be a good indicator.
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It would test its ability to bend but I don't think it would put it under the same amount of tension that being glued to the back of a bow would.
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We already know sugar maple is a good backing. A bend test won't really tell you much. You just make a bow and test it there.
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I'm watching this one. I have some sugar maple.
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Can I ask why?
You say you marked the grain with a sharpie. On the last pic the lines show considerable grain run-off. If that is the case then I wouldn't trust it as backing material. I only use the best for backings, that's why I cut my own trees
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The last picture is looking at the end of the board(end grain). At the very least I should be able to use the top half of the board, shouldn't I?
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I see. I wasn't reading that pic right. Yes it could work
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Whew! That little chunk of wood cost $60. I didn't want it standing in the corner.
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DC
how deep is that split? is it truly a split, perhaps the rest of the board was actually split all the way through and you bought the remnant?
You could use that split to guide you in cutting your ripping and backings such that you hardly have any runout at all. The run out of the grain due to any spiraling could be repaired/reoriented.
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It's about 1 1/2" deep and goes about 3/4's of the way along the board. It has a slight bend to it but it does angle across the board slightly. I will probably use it as a guide but I want to study it a bit first. On the right side of the second picture the grain follows the edge quite closely so there is a bit of butt flare or something going on.