Hi, guys,
I had to cut down a couple Crape Myrtle trees in my yard, and I just had to try it out as bow wood. The trees grow super straight for about 3', then the splay out into branches. I decided to make billets such that the tips are at the part where it starts to flair out, so it has a little bit of natural recurve at the tips. I just scraped off the outer bark/cambium layer, and that's the back.
The wood color is very pale, so I dressed it up with some python skins I bought a while back. It's somewhat soft wood, so I reinforced the tips with purpleheart overlays. I decided to make it a sleeve take-down, since I've had good luck with those. I added a leather grip, with some possum bone for beads on the lace.
I found the crape myrtle easy to work with, and seems to have pretty good tension and compression strength. It took a little bit of set, which is mostly offset by the recurved tips. Anyway, it bends and hasn't broken, so I call that a winner. Shoots real snappy and straight, too.
It's 65" n-n, 50# @ 26", even taper from 1-3/4" down to 7/16" at the tips. I gave it an elliptical, and slightly positive tiller.
Thanks for any advice.
...Tom
