Author Topic: Silver Maple  (Read 4159 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Wulamoc

  • Member
  • Posts: 151
Silver Maple
« on: September 21, 2007, 01:10:50 pm »
I've got a couple good sized limbs from a silver maple tree. Is this good bow stock?
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. GEN-21:20

Michigan

Offline DanaM

  • Member
  • Posts: 9,211
Re: Silver Maple
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2007, 01:20:51 pm »
If its what I'm thinkin of I don't think so, but what you call silver maple and what I call silver maple may be different.
Try it and see, post a picture if ya can.
"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline Hillbilly

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,248
  • I like tater tots.
Re: Silver Maple
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2007, 01:24:31 pm »
The short answer: Nope. The longer one: silver maple is one of the lightest of the maples. Many maples are great bow wood, such as sugar, vine, and norway. Some are decent bow wood, i.e. red, bigleaf, striped, etc. Some are not so good: silver, box elder. I wouldn't say that you couldn't make a bow from silver maple (if I do, someone will show up with a pic of a 48" static recurve silver maple bow that shoots 210 fps lol) but it's not likely that you'll be happy with it. If there is any other better wood in your area that you can get hold of, you're probably better off putting your time and effort into it.
Smoky Mountains, NC

NeolithicHillbilly@gmail.com

Progress might have been all right once but it's gone on for far too long.

Offline OldBow

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,216
  • I'm just an old retired biology teacher.
Re: Silver Maple
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2007, 11:50:39 am »
The short answer: Nope. The longer one: silver maple is one of the lightest of the maples. Many maples are great bow wood, such as sugar, vine, and norway. Some are decent bow wood, i.e. red, bigleaf, striped, etc. Some are not so good: silver, box elder. I wouldn't say that you couldn't make a bow from silver maple (if I do, someone will show up with a pic of a 48" static recurve silver maple bow that shoots 210 fps lol) but it's not likely that you'll be happy with it. If there is any other better wood in your area that you can get hold of, you're probably better off putting your time and effort into it.

Ditto! :(
When you're retired, every day is Saturday

Offline Auggie

  • Member
  • Posts: 652
  • redneck engineer
Re: Silver Maple
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2007, 09:16:05 pm »
Use the silver maple for a fire to keep you warm while working on a bow of better wood.
laugh. its good for ya

Offline Wulamoc

  • Member
  • Posts: 151
Re: Silver Maple
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2007, 09:44:23 pm »
Thanks for the guidance!  I keep learning from the masters! ;)
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. GEN-21:20

Michigan