Bradford pear?

[KShip85]

I've read people saying both it will and will not make a bow.  I'm curious if anyone has tried one from it.  I was splitting a log tonight that I had forgot I had and got this very peculiar run off.  Didn't twist or anything, just decided to thin out and come off.  Anyone else ever have this happen?



Kip

[TacticalFate]

Yerp, that happens, as Bradford pear doesnt have any grain to run through on...Also twists like there's no tomorrow. Made a mini-bow out of the wood that failed in tension, but worked for a good 5 minutes beforehand . I think this thread's come up a few times, but no one's actually posted an actual attempt at a bradford pear bow. Why don't you give it a try? I'd like to see if its worth giving a shot.

[Badly Bent]

Looks familiar. Had a 12" dia. bradford pear stave a couple years ago that did the same thing when I split it. I ended up cutting it all up
for firewood after it sat in the shop for a couple of years, just didn't look like it would make a bow. I know around here they seem to be
pretty brittle as a tree and often blow down after they reach an age of 15 to 20 years old. Would be curious to know if you get a bow out of it.

[KShip85]

I was thinking it seemed poor in tension, just the little scraps that came off anyway.  I might try and back it with something and see what happens.  I already have plans to cut some hackberry strips for an experimental project so I'll just cut a couple more to try out on this I guess.  It seems like tough wood, maybe better in compression than tension?  Not real run to split anyway.

Kip

[TacticalFate]

It seems like it'd be good in compression with that even, tight grain. Definitely would like to see a backed bow

[Pat B]

The weakness in Bradford pear is in it's structure and not its wood. The steep angle of the branching causes bark inclusion where the limb comes off the tree and not much actual solid wood is present for support. This makes the "joint" weak so that any lateral force can peel that branch off. I've never made a bow from Bradford pear but if I had a seasoned stave I'd at least give it a try. I've cut up lots of the stuff in my landscape work and know the wood is tough. It is a true pear (Pyrus calleryana "Bradford") a hybrid cultivar of a pretty wicked, thorny pear tree native to Korea and China.

[KShip85]

Thanks for the explanation Pat, I think I remember reading you say that in someone else's post on Bradford pear.  Do you have any advice for splitting to keep the grain from running out.  Could I get by with kerffing the logs to try and guide the split better?

Kip

[lesken2011]

I think the landscape crew is going to take out some bradford pears in my neighborhood this spring. He said I can have all I want. I may try to have a log milled and try some backed board bows from it.

[Onebowonder]

Got access to a re-saw bandsaw?  That's what I'd try.  Since the grain won't cooperate anyway, milling the wood just makes more sense.  ...and like was already mentioned, I'd back it well with something that loved the tension, like Hickory or Bamboo.  It'll be interesting to see what you come up with.  We'll be watching...

OneBow

[Shaun]

I have worked some pear and have more dry. Made one really nice little short bow that was a great shooter. Pear is like yew in that it is near failure point when at full draw. I made a mistake - put a two part quiver with 4 arrows too far apart and changed the full draw tiller - it blew up.

[KShip85]

Thanks for all the input guys.  I think I'll give it a shot trying some different backing options and profiles.  We'll see what happens!

Kip

[Pat B]

Kip, If the grain is straight you could bandsaw it in half.