Your thoughts on Kentucky Coffee Tree

[smoke]

While deer hunting last week I saw a very straight, tall Kentucky Coffee Tree that will soon fall into a creek due to bank erosion.  I thought I might salvage it for some staves.  Anyone have any experience with that species?  Any thoughts are appreciated. thanks and Merry Christmas!

[TRACY]

Do a search for Kentucky coffee and you should find some posts and pics


Tracy

[Onebowonder]

I only ever worked one piece of it.  Never saw the finished bow from that one as the owner carried it back home with him a couple states away.  It smelled great while we worked it if that matters to you!  ...and the wood's grain was very pretty.

OneBow

[Poggins]

Save it , you won't regret it .
Yes KCT makes good bows , works easy and does smell good especially when heat treating and the heartwood changes color when heated .

I chased a ring on the back of mine leaving two sapwood rings on so I would have plenty of heartwood on the belly of the bow .

[half eye]

Smoke, for what it's worth your coffee tree is one species listed as common in the plains Indian bows, right along with osage, hickory, ash and coffee tree.

[smoke]

Thanks guys - great information as usual!  The tree is big enough that I should be able to get 6 to 8 staves from it.  I plan to cut it in the spring . . . too darned cold now!

[Joec123able]

Thanks guys - great information as usual!  The tree is big enough that I should be able to get 6 to 8 staves from it.  I plan to cut it in the spring . . . too darned cold now!

I'd just cut it right now just because I have no patience lol

[Onebowonder]

I see from your Nom-De-Board you are called SMOKE.  Not sure if that has anything to do with anything BBQ related, ...but if so, you might plan to salvage the smaller non-bow wood bits of your tree harvest for smoking what you hunt! 

I'm told the wood is tremendous for using in the smoker, especially for Beef and Pork.  If I'm to judge by the fragrance the wood made as we heat treated my buddy's bow, I'd be seriously surprised if it wasn't scrupcious for such an application!

OneBow

[Poggins]

Yep , now plus I'd save anything long enough for full staves plus billets , when I cut mine I saved the one section that was seven feet long , should have cut a couple of sections up higher that would have been good billets .

[smoke]

Onebowonder, that may just be the best tip yet!!  Thanks!