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Author Topic: Box elder for a bow?  (Read 6519 times)

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bearbowman

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Box elder for a bow?
« on: August 24, 2009, 02:30:04 pm »
I had part of a box elder tree come down in my yard during a storm. I took one stave from it. It has a load of prop twist. Has anyone ever made a bow from this type of wood? I would assume a wide prfoile would be in order.
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Offline JustAim

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2009, 02:49:38 pm »
Boxer Elder is considered a borderline bow wood according to Tim Baker. Keep it wide and long and tiller it for a low draw weight. You might also consider backing it as well.
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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2009, 04:42:21 pm »
I would back it with a thick piece of some other wood and then rasp all the belly wood off before tillering it. :)
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2009, 04:45:38 pm »
Box elder (Acer negundo) is a maple, and maples can make good bows from time to time. 

I would say "go for it", keep it wide and a little extra long.  If anything, it will teach you more about tillering.
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Offline Dano

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2009, 04:48:44 pm »
Hillbilly's advice is good. ;D
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Offline Josh

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2009, 05:36:31 pm »
LOL Hillbilly!!!   Mind if I steal that one?    ;D
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Offline richpierce

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2009, 07:54:28 pm »
You can use boxelder for a fire for heating wood to bend it or for belly tempering, but in addition to it being soft and punky it doesn't burn any better than willow or cottonwood.  It is about the most useless wood in the world.  An expert bowyer might be able to get a 30 pound bow out of it that would last, but it would be a slow overbuilt 30 pound bow.  A frog-killer.

It's just not worth it working with bad wood.
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bearbowman

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2009, 12:27:10 pm »
Thanks for all the replies. Hillbilly, you gave me a great laugh today. Well I guess I'll pull it out of my garage and put it in my wood stack for the next weekend fire we have. Sounds like fuel for the kids hot dogs and marshmellows.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2009, 03:13:03 pm »
The peoples in the Missouri River Valley did tap it for sap in the spring and make a sweet syrup from it, being a maple.  Someone mentioned to me that it also has a bitter aftertaste. 
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline youngbowyer33

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Re: Box elder for a bow?
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2009, 01:43:16 pm »
where i live it is known as manitoba maple and it makes garbage bows.well i suppose someone could make a decent bow but i couldnt
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