Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: EdwardS on December 15, 2018, 10:55:08 am

Title: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: EdwardS on December 15, 2018, 10:55:08 am

I'm finally back in good enough health to start working on bows again, and I've got the fever bad.  I've been felling trees and killing privet in an attempt to find a good sapling or stave, but it's really not working.  So I was hunting for possibly a board, but what do I need to get?  I have access to cypress I know, as well as red oak (I don't think that's feasible after my first red oak bow) and I may can get access to hickory, maple and walnut, and I have some cherry trees that must come down (not sure when I'll get to those.)  There are sawmills in the area, is there something I should ask for?  Maple would be my first choice (in case I want to hunt for horns somewhere) but I'm getting to the point where I will take anything. 

What do I need to buy/cut?  I'm all ears on this one.  You guys know a LOT more than me about this. 

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: Jim Davis on December 15, 2018, 11:19:34 am

Of the woods you listed, hickory would be my choice. One is not lookng for beauty in the wood, only springiness and durability. Hickory does that well of the woods you have access to. (Cypress is not even arrow wood, let alone bow wood.)

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: Pat B on December 15, 2018, 11:50:18 am

I'd say hickory, hard maple(not red maple, black walnut or red oak.
Privet works well too but it checks easily.

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on December 15, 2018, 12:41:14 pm

Hickory, maple and red oak will make good bows.

For a red oak boar bow choose straight grained stock.

There is a build along on my site. you can change the width to 1 3/8" to make it a little easier to shoot.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/archer.html

Jawge

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: EdwardS on December 15, 2018, 01:41:06 pm

http ://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=29664.0

This guy built a totally working cypress bow.  The Seminoles built a lot of them, and being Seminole myself, it's something i had thought about really hard.

Hickory seems to be in the lead.  It'll be harder to get but it looks like it'll be worth it.  Do I need plain, rift or quarter sawn?

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: mullet on December 15, 2018, 02:20:42 pm

Cypress makes an excellent bow and is very easy to work. I've helped two people build one for their first bow.

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: mullet on December 15, 2018, 08:58:41 pm

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,34698.0.html

You'll have to dig through the old stuff.

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: bassman on January 09, 2019, 01:42:46 am

My choice would be black walnut.

Title: Re: What's the best wood for this bow?
Post by: Morgan on January 09, 2019, 08:59:31 pm

Quote from: mullet on December 15, 2018, 02:20:42 pm

Cypress makes an excellent bow and is very easy to work. I've helped two people build one for their first bow.

I wonder how many woods have a reputation of being bad bow woods because someone failed an attempt or two and started the rumor of it being bad, then rumor becomes accepted as a fact or rule over the years?