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Author Topic: what saplings make good bows?  (Read 3556 times)

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Offline hook

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what saplings make good bows?
« on: May 04, 2012, 07:10:31 pm »
I have available:
Hackberry
Black locust
Maple (red and sugar)
elm (not sure if its american or red)
Sourwood
I have a hankerin' to try one of these sapling bows. I was thinking about an 1 3/4" diameter would be easy to work with.
But then again I have never attempted one so I don't know and I am soliciting free advice
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Offline Dazv

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2012, 07:15:10 pm »
I really like to use elm saplings, go for it!!!!
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Offline Bevan R.

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2012, 07:21:41 pm »
Looks to me like you should be making at least six bows. One of each. If I had to choose just one from the list, it would be the hackberry.
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Bowmakers are a little bent, but knappers are just plain flaky.

Offline Ian.

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2012, 09:00:26 pm »
Interesting you say Hackberry would be your top choice as I have a stave at the minute.

Personally I would go for the Elm as I have seen it make excellent Sapling bows, though heat treating was used at the time.
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ALways happy to help anyone get into heavy weight archery: https://www.facebook.com/bostonwarbowsbows/

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2012, 09:03:48 pm »
Bevan said it best, make all six.
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline sadiejane

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2012, 09:12:53 pm »
Quote from: JW_Halverson on May 04, 2012, 09:03:48 pm
Bevan said it best, make all six.

yup :)
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wild women don't get the blues

Offline George Tsoukalas

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    • Traditional and Primitive Archers
Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2012, 10:08:06 am »
I've used all but sourwood in one form or another. Leave the stave a few inches longer than usual for you, Sadie. No need to decrown. Jawge
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Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2012, 12:48:10 pm »
I think hackberry makes a good sapling bow, if the sapling is wide enough to get at least an oval shaped cross section out of. I think that is a very good cross section for a hackberry bow. I like almost any sapling to make a bow that will make a bow,  ;D. Mulberry makes a fun sapling bow, very light wood and it will shoot fast. And not take too much set, usually.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2012, 02:25:25 pm »
Hook?  Hello?  You out there?   

I guess not. 

Here's hoping he's going wild in the shop with all six saplings at once!!!   ;D  Get'em, Hook!
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline hook

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2012, 09:58:41 pm »
JW,
I'm out here! sometimes way out here. lol. I was tending to the honey do list this weekend. I have read some good things about hackberry and really wanted to try one. I just didn't know if it would be ok with a crown on the back or not. I am also unsure of the diameter that would work. I would like to make a 50 pounder or so and I believe my draw length is about 30" Any size suggestions? Also lay out dimensions?

thanks
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: what saplings make good bows?
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2012, 09:52:01 pm »
Double your draw length and add a few extra inches for extra insurance.  Make the thick end of the sapling be the bottom limb and taper it to the same dimensions as the width of the upper limb.  Once you got that done, all you need to do is correct the tiller. 
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.
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