mullberry question

[osagejack]

I have a few staves laying around, just wandering what everyone thinks about?

[tanner]

I have yet to make a successful bow (no0b disclaimer), but I have been reading/working at this for 9mo or so and so far I only have mulberry to work with. Here's what I've learned about it:

NOTE - I only have red mulberry so what I've read pertains mainly to it specifically, though it might be the same for some of the other mulberry types.

1. Splitting sux a LOT when it's wet. If you can leave it somewhere (ends sealed, bark sprayed with pesticide) to dry for a year before splitting - morebetter. If you must split it now - pack a lunch and don't screw up your axe handles like I did.

2. It's a great wood for bows - very close to the mythical osage orange in most respects, but not quite as hearty so be a little more conservative with your design than you might osage.

3. Like osage, it's mainly good for its heartwood, but it is possible to make a bow with the sapwood (I think I saw someone on here that had both sap and heart in their's)

4. No need to heat temper the belly.

5. Chasing a ring is your best bet - almost identical to osage.

That's about all I know right now. I also just finished making a couple of axe handles with it as well (yes, the same ones I boogered up splitting my first mulberry log). It's not quite Osage, but it seems close enough (from what I've read/seen) that you can follow mostly the same approach for making a bow.

[wapiti1997]

I've only cut one mulberry, it was about 10 inches in diameter.  It was straight and split very easily green.  We'll see next year how the bow turns out...

[rps3]

I have made 3 bows out of mulberry and it has been good by me.

[mwosborn]

Treat it the same as you do your Osage.

[gutpile]

make it at least 25 % wider for the same poundage bow or it will chrysal...just sayin...gut

[crooketarrow]

  Mullberry a cousin to OSAGE. I've made 6 or 7 mullberry bows and made them the same as O'sage bows.
  Mullberry makes a find bow.

[Pat B]

I'd add 10% all the way around for the same weight as an osage bow. Mulberry makes a very good bow. After a few years it is difficult to tell the difference between osage and mulberry except for the physical weight. They both darken nicely to a chocolate brown color over time.

[JW_Halverson]

Ditto with other's advice to make the bows a scootch wider.  I've had great luck with the wood, too.  Some have taken more set than I would want.  Blame it on my tillering technique and the design I chose rather than just put it on the wood.   

I have a piece I want to make a modified ELB from, complete with sapwood back and heartwood belly because the difference in the colors is just as pretty as it is in osage and yew.

[Pat B]

I had good luck tempering the belly on mulberry.