Author Topic: Walnut or Cherry?  (Read 1493 times)

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Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Walnut or Cherry?
« on: March 03, 2012, 03:25:19 am »
Which would be better for a bamboo backed trilam bow as a belly wood?

Offline bubby

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Re: Walnut or Cherry?
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2012, 07:03:03 am »
walnut, how about boo, cherry, walnut, nice color combo, Bub
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline Slackbunny

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Re: Walnut or Cherry?
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2012, 12:15:21 pm »
I've had good results with cherry as a belly wood in a wood backed bow. It wasn't a tri-lam, but the principle should still hold. I have no experience with walnut, but I'm guessing either would work well, and both would look great.

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Walnut or Cherry?
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2012, 12:12:38 pm »
I think bamboo will easily overpower both cherry and walnut. Ash or maple would probably be more balanced and create a faster and more durable bow. The bamboo has a very high tensile strength, while cherry and walnut are both moderate in compression. I'm sure you could make a boo backed walnut or a boo backed cherry bow, but I'd personally pick another woodspecies that is a better match to those two species.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Walnut or Cherry?
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2012, 05:24:12 pm »
Hm... I was mostly after the color combination.  I never considered the overpowering.  I sand the boo pretty thin so I'm not certain I follow.  The middle lam would be either hickory or bamboo also.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Walnut or Cherry?
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2012, 05:48:20 pm »
I agree with darksoul. Compression strong woods like osage or ipe would be more appropriate for boo backing.  The boo needs to be thin anyway(1/8" at the thickest point) and all of the strongest power fibers in the boo are right on the outside surface of the boo.   Either cherry or walnut will be a good core wood.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC