Bloodwood, Sycamore and other woods...

[Stingray45]

Hey everyone. I'm new to PA but have been on here a lot today reading over some old threads.

I have a bow building question. I'm new to making selfbows and have recently gotten some wood from a local lumber yard. I got a piece of bloodwood with extremely straight grain that runs the distance of the board. I'm wondering if bloodwood would be alright use outright? or if I should back it with something? I have some hickory to use for backing. Also Im wondering if anyone has ever used bloodwood as a backing? I have a couple decent pieces of hackberry I am looking to use and planned to back one with hickory but I didnt know if Bloodwood could be a good backing.

Also what are your opinions of sycamore? I also picked up a nice piece of quarter sawn sycamore when I was at the lumber yard and wondering where that piece could be best used? Backing or core?

[Cacatch]

Ask El Destructo about sycamore. He's made a lot from it and really likes it. Myself, if I have a striaght sycamore limb or sapling trunk, I'll make a bow from it. But anything I have to split I will pass on.

CP

[ken75]

no clue on the blood wood but syc. is fine bow wood just tiller it right and keep it long enough it makes a good bow

[RyanY]

Never made bows from either wood but here's my two cents. I've heard of hickory backed blood wood so I think that would be good. Not so sure about a bloodwood selfbow. I have nothing on sycamore. 

[El Destructo]

Sycamore is one of my Favorite woods for making paddle Bows...I like the way it works...and the energy it stores for such a light wood....never had a Sycamore Bow fail Me yet...and I did say Yet....

[Stingray45]

Yeah the piece of sycamore I got is really great. Quarter sawn, grain running the full distance of the bow but in certain light the board looks like it has this other pattern on top of it. I saw some of your bows El Destructo and one of them for sure has the same type of thing I'm talking about it looks really great. I'm working with a piece of Hackberry right now but I think the sycamore is going to have to be my next project.

[adb]

The only thing I've used bloodwood for is a mid lam in a tri lam ELB.

[otis.drum]

stingray,
do you know the scientific name for the bloodwood you are talking about? is it a eucalypt species (species of gum from australia)?

if it is, i have played with it but have not made a bow from it yet. it can have a lot of gum vein in it. i know a guy who has used it in both selfbows and bamboo backed bows. its not one of the greatest gums but it can produce a good bow....apparantly.

[Stingray45]

Hey Otis, I have no idea. I picked it up at a local sawmill and it's only marked as bloodwood. I was thinking of trying a try lam bow. The only thing I'm worried about is getting good seal and glue joints. Any advice on the best way to avoid failing glue joint issues? I was thinking of making a tri-lam with Hickory as the backing, bloodwood for the core and hackberry for the belly.

[otis.drum]

if it's the australian bloodwood you will have no problems with glue joints. i have used it in risers and had not failures. if its not aussie wood then i cant help.

[Buckeye Guy]

You do as you feel  If I had figured sycamore Or the blood wood I would sell it to someone to make glass bows they both bring a premo price should net you enough to buy a few osage staves  but thats just me what ever you decide have fun but be carefull because this stuff is adicting yet way better for you than most of the alternitives

[Stingray45]

Thanks Buckeye. I actually have a couple Osage staves but I'm trying to get more practice before I start working with those. I just started trying to build my own bows recently and only have experience working with one from a stave, all the rest have been board bows. My main problem has been missing my target draw weight. I think Im rushing too much and taking off too much wood in the floor tillering/long string tillering process. I've been trying to get 50#-60# bows and been ending up with 40#-45# bows.

[Buckeye Guy]

   How long are your bows that are a light Maybe they can be shortend to get your weight or heat treated or reflexed  Just saying there are ways to change things  the more you try the more you will learn Do you have anyone in your area to work with you? I dont know any one close to you but I think Pappy has some freinds over that way Go to the forum called primitive sills His is the thread called(life is good )   Have fun!!!

[Stingray45]

I have done a little bit of that. I had a near perfect redoak board. Grain the full length except for one small "swirl" at one end. So I started with a pyramid style and 66". I finsihed it out had it all tillered to 28" but it was only about 42" so I ended up shortening it down to 60" and got it to 50#@28" and while drawing I heard a faint little crack. Took a look at it and where the swirl was the grain started to lift so I linen backed. It. I havent messed with it since. I did check out the side of the limb the other day and where the grain lifted there is a faint crack on the side of hte limb. I'm not sure if I'll be able to fix it or not but I'll give it a shot. I'm not sure if there is anyone in the area or not. I actually put out another post to see if anyone knew of any bow building workshops or classes in the Northern VA area. I'm going to keep looking around to see what I can find. I think I just kinda need someone to watch what I'm doing and say "hey your moving too fast here or dont do it that way, do it this way instead". Which I think are obviously things I can learn on my own as I keep trying, it'll just take longer and create more firewood along the way. Which I'm totally fine with, but I'm also not opposed to avoiding those mistakes up front either.