Advice on Hornbeam Stave Please

[johnston]

So it was "split" with a chainsaw and is 3" wide 1 1/2" thick and 54 3/4" long. American Hornbeam, we call it ironwood. Never worked this wood before and any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Lane

[blackhawk]

  have fun.

We call american hornbeam musclewood. I made a bow of it back in feb. Is the bark off,if its not and the stave is green then get it off asap. If not then its a real b!#$# to scrape the bark of because of the ridges and valleys along the back.  Use a gooseneck scraper if you have one. And be careful not to nick into a ridge and violate the back.

I love my musclewood bow. Its prob my most accurate bow right now that will be one I take to the woods this fall. It responded well to heat treating too. Its some tough gnarly stuff for sure.






Let me know if ya have any more questions. Yours is gonna have to bend thru the handle. Mine is 59" ntn.  My bend comes up thru the fades. And I can just "feel" a slight tension in the handle right as I hit full draw. And follow that grain of the muscles. You'll prob have to heat correct for sure. There's no such thing as a dead straight full stave of american hornbeam.

[beetlebailey1977]

I do agree you must take off the bark as soon as possible.  I think it would be best to peel it rite after you cut it.  The tree that I cut, I let sit for one day and I was only able to peel one stave the other stave I could not peel the bark all the way.  I was able to clamp my stave down rite after I split and peeled it.  This made it dry nice and flat.  It had a good bit of propeller twist before I clamped it down.  I only wish that I had induced a little reflex into it but I did not.  I have not got any further as of yet.  It came from a small tree and my stave is only 1 5/8" wide but I feel that it will make a good bow. 

[johnston]

This was debarked 15 min after cutting, split after 2 weeks and has dried about 2 months. I want to take it down close to bow dimensions and give it a bit more time. Anything particular about tension or compression issues?

Lane

[beetlebailey1977]

I would not be an expert for that question....but it is a tough wood and from what I understand just as good as hop hornbeam.  I dont think you will have a problem at all.

[blackhawk]

As long as you didn't nick the back you should be fine tension wise. As you've noticed the growth rings are real tiny like hophornbeam and any lil nicks or tears then you might be in trouble if not patched up. Compression is good and the wood is very elastic like hophornbeam. I rate them the same and the "feel" of the draw and shot are dead identical and I wouldn't be able to tell them apart if blindfolded.

Also as long as you strictly followed the grain and properly design it for a bendy handle bow,then it'll make a fine shooter.

Let us (or pm me)know how it turns out. Mmmmm.....tasty character wood 

Ps. You know we like to see photos of wood around here.......hint....hint.

[soy]

Love ironwood...but I must be an odd ball because 4 out of 6 that I debarked ended up with cracks that open and close through the drying cycle.but it is tough and cool looking

[johnston]

Thank you fellers.Pic's will follow progression.

Lane

[crooketarrow]

   I made a couple sapling bows and only one from a stave I traded for it  was alreadly debarked and sealed. Everyones right debark it right away. I did'nt do this on my first sapling just added reflex and went back the next year. I never did that again.  Although these were built over 15 years ago. I would'nt hesatate to build another. They were all good bows and even though they were all made 60 to 65 #'s they all stayed to around and inch set.