Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 03:45:29 pm

Title: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 03:45:29 pm
I thought this was hickory from the leaves but now I am not sure. I have this piece planed Dow that was given to me and the guy has a whole bunch of staves from it. It’s a small piece so I don’t know if you can tell from such a small piece.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 03:46:24 pm
Forgot the pics
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Del the cat on December 14, 2020, 04:19:02 pm
Ash?
Del
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Pat B on December 14, 2020, 05:28:32 pm
Ash was my first thought but the bark has me stumped.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Morgan on December 14, 2020, 05:42:12 pm
Butternut?
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: monoloco on December 14, 2020, 06:26:46 pm
Based on any butternut I've seen in Mid-Atlantic, def not.  Ours looks like light walnut.
It does look ash maybe.  Need better pics.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 06:46:06 pm
This is a piece of the bark
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 06:56:02 pm
These are pics of the leaves I got when tree was downed.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 07:41:36 pm
Tree of heaven? It seems to have 20+ leaves and the bark looks right. I’d it a bow wood?
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: BAfromPA on December 14, 2020, 08:34:26 pm
I think Nasr is correct on this one. As far as being bow worthy, my understanding is that, while it's tough to dry without checking/twisting, the wood is hard and flexible. There are examples of them here on PA if you do a search.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: dylanholderman on December 14, 2020, 08:42:23 pm
i got to handle a bow someone else had made the last time i was at the classic that i think was tree of heaven. as i recall it was physically light for its size but was still pulling a reasonable weight (40-45# maybe? its been a couple years)
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Jakesnyder on December 14, 2020, 09:12:03 pm
Looks like sumac to me. I know there are a few different species of sumac or tree of heaven. I wonder if it matters as to what would make a bow or not. Alot of the larger sumac in my area is very light and weak and of course just about anything will make a bow it just depends on what kind of performance your expecting out of it.
If you got it and its dry why not experiment. Tell us if it'll make a bow or not.  (AT)
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 09:13:50 pm
Well now I don’t know what to do with this shirt d bow I was working on. I thought it was hickory do I just scrap it. Or maybe a gift for the wife and make a light weight bow. I was hoping to make a 40 pound d bow. It is 58 t2t and 1 3/8 wide at the fade. Maybe now  25# bow. Or do I just go for it?
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: TimBo on December 14, 2020, 09:38:06 pm
At this point, you may as well keep going.  If it starts taking set, re-assess your target weight (or draw length). 
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Jakesnyder on December 14, 2020, 09:45:14 pm
Give it a good heat treating?
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 10:11:51 pm
Yes I gave it a heat treat I am going to make this one a light bow and see how it react. It feels really springy. It isn’t soft at all it’s a bit denser then ash.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: loefflerchuck on December 14, 2020, 10:17:56 pm
Leaves and wood look like sumac. Not a great bow wood. You saw it’s heavy though.  Sumac is not
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 10:33:26 pm
Nope not a bow wood. Literally broke on long string. Ahhh I feel so bad. I was hoping to get some staves now I have none. I guess back to board bows for now.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: BAfromPA on December 14, 2020, 10:54:43 pm
Looks like a boatload of reflex on a rather short bow, particularly one of unknown quality wood. If I had the chance I would get some more staves to test before considering the wood to be a failure. Maybe start with a lower stress design? I convinced a staghorn sumac pyramid bow to hold together once so I am sure you can prevail!
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Nasr on December 14, 2020, 11:13:15 pm
Looks like a boatload of reflex on a rather short bow, particularly one of unknown quality wood. If I had the chance I would get some more staves to test before considering the wood to be a failure. Maybe start with a lower stress design? I convinced a staghorn sumac pyramid bow to hold together once so I am sure you can prevail!

Your right but at the moment I am kind of discouraged. I will try once again with a wider design and longer. But at the moment I am trying to build a bow that I can shoot with on my down time. Unfortunately I don’t have much free time lately and I need to spend it on more promising wood. When time is available I’ll try again or maybe use it as arrow wood and see if it works out. I was hoping to get a bow out of it but at least st it’s a learning experience. Now I got to figure out where I can find a
stave. Money is scarce right now so it might be a board bow.
Title: Re: Can someone help with ID .
Post by: Hawkdancer on December 15, 2020, 12:01:37 am
Looks like what we called "stink tree" or "switch tree" when I was a kid back in Missouri!  Perhaps a sumac?
Hawkdancer