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Author Topic: Is alder a good bow wood?  (Read 14572 times)

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Offline Mohammad Javad Shoaee

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Is alder a good bow wood?
« on: February 18, 2008, 03:31:29 pm »
Hello everyone

I wanted to know is alder a good wood for making bow?

M.J.Shoaee
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Offline snedeker

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2008, 03:51:19 pm »
Hi.  Alder is not so great.

Dave
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jamie

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2008, 04:02:12 pm »
makes a decent arrow though
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SimonUK

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2008, 05:55:53 pm »
Yes I've heard it's not good for bows.  Pity - it's so straight.
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2008, 06:14:23 pm »
Rod Parsons posted pictures of an Alder bow made by someone near him many years ago, he is in England. The bow was made from a small diameter tree. It didn't look to shabby to me
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Offline bootboy

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2008, 12:51:52 am »
a Finnish native makes almost his bows from alder.
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Rich Saffold

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2008, 01:19:33 am »
The Alder, and Sycamores I have used were very close in density. If you can make a fast 6' 50# low mass selfbow.  You will have fun with Alder.   ;)

Rich
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Offline Mohammad Javad Shoaee

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2008, 10:02:14 am »
Hello

Thank you everyone for your guides.

M.J.Sh
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Offline OldBow

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2008, 11:57:47 am »
Our Montana alder is Alnus sinnuata.
It is way too soft to use for bows.  Jamie is right. Use it for arrows.
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Offline D. Tiller

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2008, 07:12:08 pm »
How about Alder from the Pacific Northwest? How about if you sinew back it. I have heard that alder is great in compresion but lowsy in tension.

David T
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330bull

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Re: Is alder a good bow wood?
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2008, 09:26:28 pm »
If you live in the PNW, I would suggest Vine Maple over Alder any day.  I will never attempt an alder bow with so many better woods available.

My 2 cents.   :)

Joe
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