West coast guys..Elderberry

[vinemaplebows]

Have any of you made bows from Elderberry??? I have seen Elderberry bows, but it is not clear to me if they are from the west coast species???

[bubby]

elderberry is all over here in nor cal, but the damn bettle is protected so i'm a little worryed about getting caught cutting one down, i don't run as fast as i used to , Bub

[danlaw]

Ha! I have often wondered about Elderberry. I have a huge one in my backyard which I prune every year; the wood seems really light and weak to me. I'd like to know as well VMB. Apparently you can dip the flower clusters in batter and fry them like pancakes. That's my elderberry project for next spring if nothing else.

[snag]

I thought it would be pithy inside..?  Elderberry wine!

[Pat B]

I've seen some beautiful bows made with European Elderberry and maybe Western US Elderberry. The only way to know is to give it a try.

[danlaw]

I did a little research on red (pacific) elderberry. The wood is apparently very hard but brittle - good for flutes because it is hollow. 

[vinemaplebows]

Pat,

           I have seen them as well, but not sure what species it was....for that matter, what continent.

[mullet]

The Elderberry in the South would make a better blow gun.

[vinemaplebows]

Eddie,

               Thats what I think about ours up here, but ya never know.

[M-P]

Howdy,  The blue elderberry here in the bay area can grow to tremendous size.  (One bunch of elders I frequent is sprouts from a cut down trunk ~ 18" across.) I've only cut small branches, so far.  The smaller wood is pithy and weak, but I'm thinking wood from a larger trunk may be denser.   I believe it is DRUID that has posted multiple bows of European elder. Cutting a larger tree and giving it a try is on my list of things to do. 
 In the mean time I just collected and processed another 6# of berries yesterday.   They store well in a freezer and I've now got almost enough for another batch of wine.  I just bottled last year's batch in July.  I still have a liter of elderflower syrup from picking earlier this year.      Ron

[rossfactor]

We have Red, Blue and Blackbead Elderberry on the northwest coast.  Once you get north and out of the valley the elderberry longhorn beetle doesn't occur, so there shouldn't be a problem harvesting a few branches (although I'd still check with the local DFG office).

For some reason I think the Blue is supposed to be better for bows, but I don't know where thats coming from. Not enough RAM in my memory 

Gabe

[druid]

I often made bows of elderberry, it is great material, somehow like rattan more than wood.
One of elderberry bows with 4" of set outshoot few ash and elm bows with much better conditions and same strength. Great wood.