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Author Topic: Black Locust  (Read 4476 times)

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Offline DC

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Black Locust
« on: July 23, 2015, 05:14:07 pm »
This is a piece of BL that I just cut. Are these the normal colors for BL (it's actually a little greener/grayer than the pic shows)? It's the first piece that I've ever seen. Given to me by Bow101(it's still wet Dean) Thank You.

OK Here's the picture. What a bonehead I am :-[
« Last Edit: July 23, 2015, 06:18:15 pm by DC »
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Offline bowmo

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2015, 05:56:54 pm »
You forgot the pic...  ::)
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Offline huisme

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2015, 07:46:55 pm »
Those are about the right colors but I haven't seen locust with that much sapwood in a long time.
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline DC

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2015, 08:33:38 pm »
They are just under 3" in diameter. BL is not a native tree here. There is none on the North Island but there is apparently quite a bit of escaped ornamental BL down Island. I'm chasing a ring on it now. I may have to leave a few rings of sapwood in order to make a bow. I'm enjoying chasing a ring. It makes me feel like a real boyer ;) In the picture the vertical line is where I have to trim it to. The arrow is pointing at the ring I would like to use. I think it is the last sapwood ring, maybe the first heartwood. The piece of wood in the picture is 1"x1".
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Offline huisme

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2015, 09:21:13 pm »
I'd call that the first heartwood ring.

Looks good from here!
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline DC

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2015, 09:27:37 pm »
I'm practicing by trying to go the length of the bow on one of the upper sapwood rings. I got past the handle on one and then lost it. Are the heartwood rings easier to chase than the sapwood rings? Also should I go to one ring above my choice and then go back and take the final ring off? Remember, I've never chased a ring, well maybe a wedding ring ;)
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Offline huisme

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2015, 09:52:02 pm »
The heartwood is a lot easier to chase and I usually go really fast ignoring pin knots to two rings over my final rung, then go slow and careful around the pin knots and finish those with the chisel. If I'm chasing a fairly shallow ring I'll go straight to it but the big stuff around here had a really good year about half an inch into the heartwood ;D

http://imgur.com/a/wM26v
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline DC

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2015, 10:00:06 pm »
Thanks, we'll see what happens :D
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2015, 11:24:53 pm »
How wide is that stave?  I treat locust as a whitewood, making a black locust bow on the wider side, not less than 1 1/2" and 1 3/4" more preferable.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline DC

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2015, 12:13:34 am »
It's 1 3/4" wide now. I've already cut it to width. It was about 3" dia to start with. I've already started to chase a ring so I will continue until I have one ring on this one. I have another that was the next piece up the tree. It's about 2" but there is only about 3/4" of heartwood. I will try peeling the bark and use the natural back on that one. I would probably have little or no heartwood left when it's finish though.
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Offline huisme

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2015, 12:29:06 am »
Not trying to be contrary but I've had not but good experiences with narrow locust, you just have to make sure it's all working. These two are both about one inch for the full length.

http://imgur.com/a/SSGqQ

http://imgur.com/a/HEIIL

You can get some good narrow shorties out of a small diameter locust.
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline RBLusthaus

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #11 on: July 24, 2015, 08:17:09 am »
Wide limbs and flat bellies are the way to go.  imho. 
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #12 on: July 24, 2015, 10:10:16 am »
BL is best with a heartwood back unless there is not enough heartwood for a bow. Then a sapwood back is ok.
Yes, I, too, have made BL bows with sapwood backs but BL is best with a heartwood back.
Jawge
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Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline Pat B

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2015, 10:34:29 am »
I've also made locust bows narrower but for someone just starting out I think a wider bow would be a better option.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline DC

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2015, 01:04:12 pm »
The continuing saga. I roughed it out a bit and uncovered these bug holes. Curiously they don't show on the sapwood side and I didn't notice them on the belly until I cut a little deeper. Is it possible that the bugs gained entry a few years ago and then the sapwood grew over them? The sapwood looks untouched on the outside other than the few rings I chased away.  Anyway, since there seems to be the opinion that BL is a little compression weak are these bug holes going to compromise the belly. The picture shows the worst spot but there are a few more scattered around. I can flood them with CA, will it help?
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