Kentucky Coffee Tree Sapwood

[BobbyO]

Is the sapwood usable in making a bow or should I remove it and chase a heartwood ring? Thanks to every poster on this site; it's like thumbing through an encyclopedia. Be well, BobbyO 

[Thesquirrelslinger]

I dunno, to be safe just remove it.

I can't find any data on it. Just that its heavy, strong, and hard.

[TRACY]

The one bow I made from it early in my bow making venture, I cut it and treated it like hickory and peeled the bark using the outermost growth ring and not chasing a ring. I liked the contrast of sap vs. heartwood in this species. My tillering was rushed and poor and it took lots of set . It shot alright even though I put set into it.

Need to try it again.


Tracy

[autologus]

I'm making one right now for the bow trade. You don't have to chase a ring unless you want to thin the sapwood to have better contrast for looks. If you do try to chase a ring it is very easy to do.  Make the limbs wide 1 3/4 to 2 inches or you will have set, also heat temper the belly it will respond well to heat. Over all it is a pleasure to work and smells good when cooking it.

Grady

[Poggins]

What profile works with coffee tree wood?
I cut one today and got four good staves from it , stripped the bark and sealed the back with shellac . I've done a search and haven't seen too many and not much on the profiles , I haven't found the build along for it yet , may be typing the wrong words for the search .

[Joec123able]

What profile works with coffee tree wood?
I cut one today and got four good staves from it , stripped the bark and sealed the back with shellac . I've done a search and haven't seen too many and not much on the profiles , I haven't found the build along for it yet , may be typing the wrong words for the search .

Here's one http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,18018.msg249934.html#msg249934

[Poggins]

Thanks , I had found it a few minutes ago , just had to typ the right words in on the search .
I've never attempted a Molly before and curious if coffee tree would handle it , may have to try it after I make a bow or two out of it and get used to it , mostly work osage and been playing with some chittam wood latly .

[soy]

I believe it was toomanyknots that made a sweet coffee recurve....I have a stave im a bit afraid to try from a branch cluster on the edge...good luck

[TRACY]

Here's one
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,18018.msg249934.html#msg249934

Good find Joe! Not sure how I missed it since I go through the old posts frequently.
Tim did a real nice job with it as well.


Tracy

[autologus]

Here is the inspiration for the trade bow I'm working on.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,18322.0.html

Grady

[BowEd]

I've made one KCT bow without the sapwood.Good bow wood it is.Plenty elastic.Ring pourus.Personally I don't have any use for the sapwood on them.It does heat treat well though and turns that purple violet color.I did a breaking test on it.It took a lot of set before finally breaking.To me it is a little bit lighter version of hickory.I think it is dense enough to put a bamboo back on.I have a good stave yet that'll be a special project one of these days.