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Author Topic: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet  (Read 4724 times)

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Offline redboard

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Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« on: April 10, 2014, 06:08:31 pm »
About 3 months ago, whilst upset with my lovely wife, I meandered out of doors, happened across a sharp axe, and used it on one of probably 40 Japanese ligustrum trees in my back yard. I didn't mean to chop it down, but the bite of the axe-head into green shrubbery just felt right.

It musta been providence, cause now I've been infected with some sort of bow-building virus/bug (no known cure) and I have a ruddy big log that I'm gonna split into staves. The main trunk is a good 7 feet long, 8-9" diameter and straight at a stove-pipe.

What's the worst that could happen?
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Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2014, 06:11:07 pm »
It could fall onto your head and kill you.
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"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline redboard

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2014, 06:20:28 pm »
I'll try to keep that in mind next time I play with axes  ;D
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Offline smoke

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2014, 06:20:53 pm »
Sounds like a karma thing . . . I say go for it!
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Offline bubby

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2014, 06:22:14 pm »
I know privet makes a good bow, have fun, but your wife may want to hide the axe and save her yard :laugh:
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failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
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Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2014, 07:21:28 pm »
All jokes aside...privet is reported to be good bow wood. I don't recall ever seeing a Japanese privet bow, but it's worth a shot. Fell the tree carefully (lol), split the log and seal the ends. I think I'd leave the bark on while drying. Measure the specific gravity and design a bow accordingly.
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"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline Wiley

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2014, 08:30:20 pm »
Did you seal the ends of the log and get it out of the elements?
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Offline criveraville

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2014, 09:13:49 pm »
Welcome. May I recommend anger management or meditations?  :laugh:

Cipriano
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I was HECHO EN MEXICO, but assembled in Texas and I'm Texican as the day is long...  Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2014, 09:48:51 pm »
Privet checks easily so seal it well and soon. It is very hard wood and makes good arrows so it should make a good bow too.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline redboard

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2014, 10:54:46 am »
The tree is already down, but off the ground. I need to cut out the usable main trunk as its still just a whole tree...
And those things are like weeds here in Texas.

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Offline Pat B

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2014, 11:24:02 am »
How long have they been down? Privet decays really fast once cut if not handled properly.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline redboard

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2014, 11:33:22 am »
I think its been down a couple of months. If its decaying when I cut out the trunk, I won't bother, but I've cut tons of this stuff down and haven't found it to degrade almost at all over time.
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Offline criveraville

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2014, 01:21:17 pm »
Where in Texas are you located redboard?

Cipriano
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I was HECHO EN MEXICO, but assembled in Texas and I'm Texican as the day is long...  Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Offline redboard

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #13 on: April 13, 2014, 02:42:57 pm »
Waco
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Offline criveraville

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Re: Japanese ligustrum...or Japanese Privet
« Reply #14 on: April 13, 2014, 03:30:54 pm »
I'm not too far from Waco. Let's see a pic of that trunk.
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I was HECHO EN MEXICO, but assembled in Texas and I'm Texican as the day is long...  Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
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