Persimmon----- Added cut staves

[Matt Heppe]

I just finished a Persimmon bow. Well, not finished, I still have to polyurethane and wrap the grip. I cut the tree on a friend's property. I didn't really know what I was doing and stripped the bark and split the piece without coating it. I put it under weight to dry some reflex into it. The back checked badly, but all of the cracks came out in the tillering process.

Here is the back. I should have removed the cambrium before it dried, as it was a pain to take off once dry. The wood has a nice, creamy white color.



Here is the belly. The worst checks have been shaved off. Some of the belly wood took on a darker tone. Originally all of the wood was creamy white.



The stave had a little twist that I took out with steam.

I left it wide and flat and am very happy with how it shoots.

[Mad Max]

I just finished a Persimmon bow. Well, not finished, I still have to polyurethane and wrap the grip. I cut the tree on a friend's property. I didn't really know what I was doing and stripped the bark and split the piece without coating it. I put it under weight to dry some reflex into it. The back checked badly, but all of the cracks came out in the tillering process.

Here is the back. I should have removed the cambrium before it dried, as it was a pain to take off once dry. The wood has a nice, creamy white color.



Here is the belly. The worst checks have been shaved off. Some of the belly wood took on a darker tone. Originally all of the wood was creamy white.



The stave had a little twist that I took out with steam.

I left it wide and flat and am very happy with how it shoots.

Is the sap wood on it Matt??

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

B\c  = "because"  lol it's not a finish or anything 

yeah, Matt's bow has cambium on it, which is the inner bark. You'll find that persimmon is pretty much all sapwood, no chasing necessary at all.   His looks like it will make a pretty bow when finished

[beetlebailey1977]

Ok to the person that said if it does not produce fruit cut it.......if the tree never fruits it is a male.  Only female trees bare fruit, and you must have a male tree close to a female for it to pollinate.  So if you want persimmons for the deer don't cut.  That being said if that is what you have and you have a lot cut some and give it a try.  Be warned as most said it can have a lot of twist in a tree.  All that I have cut have had it to some degree or another.  Also peel the bark as soon as you cut and split it out.  Also I have been able to clamp a fresh cut stave down to remove all or most twist.  To do this work it down some closer to a bow layout.  It is a very hard wood that is in the ebony family.  Shoot they make golf club driver heads with it.

[Mad Max]

I have been thing on how to hold them down so they don't twist.
remember I may get 10 or so.
I have to get a plan of attack .

[Knapper]

Like all the info, just cut my first one this spring. When I took the bark off it filled the shop with the sweetest smell!!! It's 8 " across, I only split it once so far, it did turn purplish on the back. I think the reason on not cutting the fruit bearing trees is the male to female ratio is like 27/1. If my mind serves me well.
Knapper

[Mad Max]

Thanks guy's

[beetlebailey1977]

Mine that I have cut have a yellow stain come up on the back it will stain your hands.....I used bessey clamps to hold it down....also introduced to reflex at the same time.

[Mad Max]

I think i am going to cut 2-- 72"  logs , split them in half, seal the ends, take them to my shop and take the bark off carefully, and seal the back.
I may split ONE  of those halves  and ruff them out and clamp them down.
Then we will see about the others.
I try to post some pic. this week.

[burn em up chuck]

   please keep us posted, to me this is interesting

                                        chuck

[Mad Max]

8/12/2013 7:00 am cut, sealed ends and took to my shop.
Not as big as i wanted, the one on the right is the bottom log, middle log is the top, the left log is the middle cut from the tree.
there all 6' + long

Split the bottom log (the one at the ground) in half, and split one of those in half

Split the log in the middle of the tree in half, it's about  6" O.D.

Split the log at the top of the tree in half, it's about 5" O.D.

First stave debarked

The bark is about 3/4" thick, as you start trimming it,  some knots show threw.

Under the bark is a grey/sliver color that is very soft and thin and wet, under that is the wood that is cream color. lot's of pin knots
This stave has been sealed.

Shows the wood, the grey under bark, and the bark
The soft silver wood comes off very easy, but the pin knots are everywhere .

I tried to split one of the half log and it split and ran off one edge of the stave before it got to the end. so i got 3 staves out of the bottom log.

3 staves sealed and the bark trimmings.

8/12/2013 11:00 AM     My under ware and T shirt are soaked and wet, the humidity and heat have taking it all from me, I'am pooped out.
I cleaned the bark up off the floor, and took it outside.
I will try some more in the morning .

[Newindian]

Looks like nice wood, the pin knots could really add some character.

[Mad Max]

The tree was about 30' tall and it did have fruit on it.
This is the first tree i have ever cut to make staves , so i'am winging it.

[Mad Max]

newindian-- the pin knots stick up into the bark about halfway, you can't see them until  you start scraping .

[blackhawk]

welcome to wood harvesting...cutting em down is the easy part..now ya must carefylly care for them....id get those backs sealed down real good..a few coats at least...and store em in a cool place with some airflow when not working on em for now...and Id follow twistedlimbs n pappys advice on how to deal with it