Coffee tree! Here we go again:)

[Timo]

Some may remember last year and my attempt to get a bow from a Kentucky coffee tree. Well…that ended in a bad way. I vowed that I would return so he we am.

This stave seemed perty straight and just a few pins so hopes were high.
I yanked off the bark and cambium layer a decided to quit right there. I figured what the heck, spice an life? The sapwood was a good bit thicker on one end than the other, and in hind sight I should’ve took another ring off from the center of the bow out one limb  to even it up,but didn’t…

Curious as to how old one has to get before hind sight becomes foresight?

I layed out a 4” handle, 1 ¾” fades, and 66” length. I started to build a meare heath but just went with 1 ¾” wide for 20” past the fades then tapered to ½” tips.  I know very little about this wood and can’t find out much about it, so I figured that if these dims wouldn’t make a bow then nuthin would.

The grain kinda reminds me of ash, or red elm. Reddish heart wood and pale yellow sapwood. It has a distinct smell that I just can't figure out. Pleasure to work.


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[Josh]

 I hope you get it to hold together the grain in the handle is beautiful... 

[FlintWalker]

Grain kinda reminds me of Sassyfras.  Perty stuff

[Timo]

First look on the press shows the right limb stiff, I shaved some off until I had it looking more like I wanted.

Little side note about my bow press: I built this last year to help me brace bows and check early limb movement, as I went through hernia surgery and there was no way I could push pull any bow. I still use it now on every bow I build.

I got the idea from Brad Merkel up north.

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[Timo]

Time to get a string on it. Not bad for first brace, and string lays perty well. Both limbs have a slight prop to them, so that was my next job.

The bottom pics shows my redneck twist remover.It's a piece of thick steel that I use around the shop for an anvil.I just get it tied on and slide the weight until it gives me what I want.It'll stay put!

Side note: whenever I remove limb twist this way I always do it with the belly up, that way any extra bend that goes into the tip is reflex.(unless of course you need some deflex)

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[Timo]

fergot the pic of my chubby checker.

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[Timo]

I’ve worked it quite a bit  today and she is showing some fatigue. The right limb just won’t seem to give. I’ve reduced the limb width considerable, and it’s still stiff. Here it sets at 22” pulling 38#. I got some room to squelch with.

The unbraced profile shows that she wants to be a reflex/deflex,mostly because of the stress that the outers are putting on the inners. Kinda like belly buttons?

Gonna do a heat treatiing session on those inners to give them some strength,(or at least try) .We will see.

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[FlintWalker]

That looks plum good!

[Timo]

This wood yield well to sharp tools, and to dry heat, so I figured I’d go ahead and heat the belly up and try to stiffen up the inner thirds.

It turned into a purple haze! Reminds me of potassium permanganate? you'd of thought that I reached outside and grabbed a handful of poke berries and give it a swipe? Cept they ain't near ripe yet.

Gonna  rain all night so I will leave it for a while outside under the carport to rehydrate.

More tomorrow.




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[cracker]

Looks good I like the looks of that wood.Ron

[DanaM]

Looks good I still have that stave you traded me, just looked at it the other day and thought hmmm should be dry enuf by now

[Timo]

Ran into a small problem. Brought the tiller out to 26"  and shot it a bit. I unbraced and noticed that the string was starting to cut into the wood. I figured the sapwood would be to soft to support much and planned on putting some kind of overlay anyhow, it just made me do it quicker than I wanted to. Here's a pic of before and after.

The after is a very simple overlay of cow horn,didn't want to fancy here cause I still ain't sure we are gonna get a bow.
 

Also a pic of it at 26" draw. It shows quite a bit of fatigue after shooting and work, but always rest back to even after 30 mins.I'd rather see it bounce right back, but might be the wood is just that way? Time will tell.

Gonna try to get this thing out to 28" later today so check back later.



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[david w.]

looks really good

[Timo]

Well ...we have a bow! ( at least for now)

Settled in 50# @ 28".  (first pic)I was worried that it was gonna set real bad,but it always came back to even. After I got it the way I liked, I shot it a bunch,she held. I then took it back in the shop and used the heat gun to recolor the belly,( I really liked the purple color) It had lost alot of it from finish tiller.

I layed the stave out on a board and put the heat to it, just enough to change the color and then let it cool.

After cooling I finish sanded it, wet it down (with cold coffee hehe) to whisker the grain, and put it back in the box .  Let it set an hour or so then sanded and boned it down. Shot it maybe another 50 times. It has held. The unbraced profile change with that last tempering,as now it looks the same as it did before it started bending? Weird. (second pic) shows you how it sets right after unbraceing, along side of the way it looked before. I just went out and checked on another bow that was drying and noticed that the tips on the coffee bow had moved in front of the handle!

The last pic shows some of the color that I will leave in for finish..

Also am well pleased with the manners of this bow, pleasant to shoot, and seems extremely fast. I need to get a physical weight and let Badger do the math.

Lastly I think this is a good bow wood and should not be overlooked for making a quality bow. This one has alot of the sapwood left on,The next one will have it removed. As for endurance? Time will tell.

 Dana? How bout you getting on that stave I sent ya now?



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[FlintWalker]

Looks like a dandy to me.  The fact that it shows little set says something for the compression strength of the wood (and your tillering skills)    I look forward seeing what it does on down the road.   I may want to cut some of tha myself...Once I figure out what it looks like.