« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Sycamore and hackberry boards  (Read 3201 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline DavidV

  • Member
  • Posts: 472
Sycamore and hackberry boards
« on: November 08, 2012, 10:31:55 pm »
The hardwood place I go to has hackberry and sycamore boards really cheap. I know hackberry staves are good and I've heard of sycamore making good backings but I know very little about the woods and wether anyone makes unbacked/backed board bows out of them. What are their properties and what design would they like?
Logged
Springfield, MO

Offline missilemaster

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,172
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2012, 10:39:38 pm »
Acording to the traditional bowyers bible Vol.4, sycamore has a SG of .49 and makes  a "fast and sweet shooting bow!" Being of a lower density, unless you can find a pristine board, I would back it with something.

                        -Cody
Logged
All men die,  few men ever really live.

Real men love Jesus.

Offline DavidV

  • Member
  • Posts: 472
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2012, 11:38:06 pm »
Thanks, for $1.75 a bf, sycamore would make some cheap bows and backings.

They had a good selection of hackbery as well that looked to be in VERY good condition. I know it's light but I forget if it's a tension or compression wood.
Logged
Springfield, MO

Offline k-hat

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,058
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2012, 12:17:17 am »
That's awesome!  I wish i could find some hackberry boards!  Didn't know they existed.  I would think you can def make a bow from hackberry lumber.  It's very tension strong, treat it like elm.  Give the belly a good deep heat treatment.  Get a bundle and crank them out!  I would think it would make a good backing material as well.
Logged

Offline autologus

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,092
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2012, 09:21:39 am »
How about a Hack backed Sycaboard bow.

Grady
Logged
Proud Hillbilly from Arkansas.

Offline Onebowonder

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,495
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2012, 11:53:59 am »
Quote from: autologus on November 09, 2012, 09:21:39 am
How about a Hack backed Sycaboard bow.

Grady

You could call it a "Hacky Syc"...
Logged

Offline DavidV

  • Member
  • Posts: 472
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2012, 09:01:25 pm »
Lol, I'll make sure to remember that for when I get some boards. I'll name the first one "Hacky Syc" and the next one "Sycaboard"
Logged
Springfield, MO

Offline k-hat

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,058
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2012, 09:42:45 am »
Or hackamore, sycahack, sycaberry....  Once the build is done just post one of those as the wood type and raise a few eyebrows, see who bites and says "yeah we have lots of hackamore up here.. i'll have to give it a try" >:D
Logged

Offline tattoo dave

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,545
  • Rockford, MI
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2012, 01:02:47 pm »
I've tried a couple sycamore self bows from boards. I did not back them, and they were not exactly perfect boards, may be the reasons they both failed. Just my experience. ;)

Tattoo Dave
Logged
Rockford, MI

Offline Scaramouche

  • Member
  • Posts: 67
  • Don't just exist.
Re: Sycamore and hackberry boards
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2012, 03:12:46 pm »
Quote from: misslemaster on November 08, 2012, 10:39:38 pm
Acording to the traditional bowyers bible Vol.4, sycamore has a SG of .49 and makes  a "fast and sweet shooting bow!"

That amazes me, because I have two sycamores in my front yard, and I've always considered them to be very brittle. I'll have to harvest some and season it properly.

I'd written them off as useless, but I'd be glad to be proved wrong!
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »