Author Topic: burr oak as bow wood question?  (Read 2588 times)

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Offline bushboy

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burr oak as bow wood question?
« on: April 24, 2012, 03:16:41 pm »
Hey fella's ,wondering if anyone has used burr oak in a pyramid style. 64"ntn design?I think it's a member of the white oak family and have read that it's good. Bow wood but loves to take set! How does it take to heat treating?thx's bobbyjoe!
Some like motorboats,I like kayaks,some like guns,I like bows,but not the wheelie type.

Offline Buckeye Guy

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Re: burr oak as bow wood question?
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2012, 05:45:41 pm »
Yes it will make a good bow !!
Depending on how much  of it you get to bending properly as to how long a draw it will give you !
ALL wood likes to take a set , I do to just a few wacks with a iron skillet and I like to lean the dirrection my wife is a pullin !
Have fun
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: burr oak as bow wood question?
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2012, 11:32:42 pm »
I had a boatload of luck with bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)...all of it bad.  In each case (three different trees) each stave produced a bow that was incredibly heavy, low cast, and exceedingly bad handshock. 

I was trying for what I call an American Flatbow.  Narrow nonbending handle, fadeouts about 2 inches, straight limbs for 60% of linb length and graceful curving tapers to the tips.  I started with widths at about 1 3/4" and went as narrow as 1 1/2 inches.  I was also using the "double your draw length plus 10%" for the bow lengths. 

Now  the pyramid bow has much less tip mass, maybe you will have better luck.  Also, getting your wood from a source other then mine may help too.  Not all bows are made of wood, not all wood makes a bow.

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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.