Author Topic: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)  (Read 3929 times)

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Offline half eye

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34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« on: February 09, 2013, 12:25:40 pm »
This spring I'm gonna get free access to a large quantity of ironwood. Some green, and some 2 years dead standing. The question was weather or not the dead standing was gonna be worth the work to collect and split.

Went out and cut a short section of a 3" diam sapling that had been killed by the skidders when they logged off the hard maple. I figured if I was to know if it was still good I'd make me a overstressed little bow and see when it blew. Well, it didn't blow so here it is.

53# @ 18", 34" ntn, physical weight is 4-3/4 ounces. at 15 yards it shoots really hard. I give 2 full draw pics. The first is regular string grip, and the second is draw with the "secondary string grip. I'm too weak to pull 53# that way so it's only about 17" of draw. The arrow in the photo is 18" to the point where the black fore-shaft starts. This dead standing ironwood is really tough, and real "snappy".

Nothing done to the wood, no heat or steam or glued craks. Just tillered and greased. Just wanted to share my "experiment".
rich
« Last Edit: February 09, 2013, 05:27:00 pm by half eye »

Offline Ozzy

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2013, 12:37:20 pm »
Cool little bow there Rich
THE BEST SUNRISES ARE SEEN 20 FEET UP A TREE.

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2013, 12:42:10 pm »
That's a lot of bend out of that thing.  Great job on it Rich.  Ironwood is some good stuff.
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Pat B

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2013, 12:44:05 pm »
Very Cool!!!
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline sadiejane

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2013, 12:47:15 pm »
wow, thats is great!
have a very nice split of ironwood gun doc gifted wayne and i with.
looking forward to getting at that thing
esp now!
thanks
wild women don't get the blues

Offline lesken2011

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2013, 12:51:42 pm »
Yeah, Buddy. Sweet bend!! I bet you can't wait to make a full sized one, now!! ;)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Kenny from Mississippi, USA

Offline Badly Bent

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2013, 12:56:09 pm »
Sweet bend Rich! Your short/hunting weight bow tillering skills really impress me. 8)

Greg
I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.

Offline JonW

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2013, 12:59:21 pm »
Dang Rich. Now I gotta up my game some. That's a cool experiment.

Offline half eye

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2013, 01:00:28 pm »
I'm pretty stoked about the ironwood for sure, especially now that I know I can get to makin bows right away after the harvest, while the rest is curing out. I'm real pleasantly suprised that the wood was in such good shape.
rich

Thanks guys, but I'm givin it all to the ironwood,eh? Greg, it's got to be the wood, cause it has not made a single sound and no complaints at all. I seriously believe ya could pull the string off before it would break, and the string angle is past 90 degrees at full draw allready.

Offline Keenan

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2013, 01:01:49 pm »
Love it! what a great little horse bow that would be.

Offline rossfactor

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2013, 02:06:38 pm »
Dang Rich.  I've got some arrows longer than that bow  :o  Nice work!

Gabe
Humboldt County CA.

Offline bubby

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2013, 02:10:04 pm »
I've been wanting to see this since ya told me about it, you weren't kiddin' were ya, nice bend
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline rps3

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2013, 02:30:01 pm »
Your test is showing potentially good results using dead standing iron wood. Eastern hhb is the only wood I have had blow apart on me so far, and I think that particular tree may have been dead. Good luck and continued success with the wood you get.

Offline PatM

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2013, 04:41:15 pm »
There is likely something to the 'killed by accident" rather than disease that is in its favour.

Offline Gus

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Re: 34" ironwood / 53# @ 18" (a wood test)
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2013, 05:25:10 pm »
Dang Sir!

That looks like Dynamite!   :)

-gus
"I taught him archery everyday, and when he got good at it he throw an arrow at me."

Conroe, TX