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Author Topic: Eastern red bud  (Read 3031 times)

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Offline H Rhodes

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Eastern red bud
« on: February 27, 2012, 10:21:29 pm »
The eastern redbud trees are starting to bloom here in Alabama....  They are in the legume family, like honey locust or kentucky coffee trees....Cercis canadensis is what the book calls them....  My latin sucks so I am not sure if that means "Make a bow out of me" or not.   Made me curious to know if any of you guys have tried redbud trees for bow wood. There are lots of them around here and they are easy to spot now, since they are the first to bloom every spring.
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Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline beetlebailey1977

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2012, 11:01:11 pm »
Give it a try and let us know how it turns out.........
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Happy hunting to all!
Bowhunters of South Carolina Executive council member
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2012, 01:10:48 am »
I have not used redbud but I have heard it makes a good bow. I know it is hard when it dries. Give it a try and treat it like a whitewood.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2012, 02:22:46 am »
I am putting it on my list of bow wood to try...  I am going to tie a marker on one while it is covered in purple flowers so I can distinguish it after the weather warms a little and the blossoms are all gone.  The trunks seem to blend in with the oaks in summer. 
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Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline JonW

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 09:27:49 am »
I only have one under my belt from Redbud . Flatbow design,  66" TTT,2" at the fades out to 12" and then tapering to the tips. It seemed as good as any other white wood I've used.  I agree it seemed very hard for a white wood.
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Offline criveraville

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2012, 01:45:34 pm »
We have a lot here now both red and white and it is in bloom.. I should go cut some..

Cipriano
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I was HECHO EN MEXICO, but assembled in Texas and I'm Texican as the day is long...  Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Offline SA

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 10:17:08 pm »
i cut some last year i plan to try.....think its our state tree >:D hmm, wander if i could get in trouble
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Shawn Acker

Offline Pat B

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2012, 12:33:23 am »
HRhodes, redbud has heart shaped leaves.  ;)
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #8 on: February 29, 2012, 02:27:21 am »
Thanks for the info everyone.  I will give a redbud tree a try.  We have lots of it here....  Alabama is blessed with so many fine bow woods.  I hope I live long enough to build one from every doggone one of them! 
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Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline RidgeRunner

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #9 on: February 29, 2012, 11:34:05 am »
Hay HR.
If I have not asked before...Where about in Alabama are you???
I am up here west of Decatur about 20 miles.

If you can find a Red Bud that is large enough you can chase a ring down to the heartwood.
You can treat the heartwood just like Black Locust.  It will check real bad so be sure and seal it up real good.

David
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David Key / N.W. Alabama

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Eastern red bud
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2012, 02:22:37 am »
Hey David.  I am down in Livingston, in SW Alabama.  Thanks for the advice.  I have been noticing that we have a lot of it growing around here.  I am planning on cutting a few staves toward the end of this week, if the rain ever slacks up. 
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Howard
Gautier, Mississippi
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