Growing conditions and how it affects bow wood

[DavidV]

This may be obvious to some but I don't see it mentioned too often, and that is how does the growing conditions affect how bow wood performs. Things like: Drainage, soil composition, wind, slope, sunlight, etc. I have my own opinions but I'm not sure if they're specific to the species of trees I cut or where I am geographically... and lets face it, I don't have near the amount of experience as a lot of people on this site.

Here's an example though. I cut and have a a bit of hackberry drying, some of it cut on a wet but well drained north facing slope and others cut on more bottomland soil. The first has a distinctly different appearance than the second, it's heavier and has more luster when sanded and even though both have very similar RPI, the first has less earlywood. I've also had osage and walnut  cut on the same slope that tends to be on the denser side compared to other wood i've used.

I guess my question is: 1. have other people noticed the same thing? Some land just produces better bow wood than others.

2. And if so, should we treat wood more on a tree to tree basis than on what species it is?

[Eric Garza]

Great question. I don't hold any records for the number of total trees cut for bow wood, so I am not willing to make any solid conclusions about this but I am willing to offer a few observations. First, I agree that bottom-land trees seem to be less dense, and while their rings tend to be wider the late wood to early wood ratio isn't necessarily better. I've also found them to be less elastic, regardless of species, so I generally avoid cutting bottomland trees anymore.

These days, my preference is to cut trees that grow in areas that are fairly stressful for them. I like to cut trees that grow on slopes, especially on slopes that are well drained. I also like to cut trees that get just barely enough water, grow slowly and end up with relatively thin rings with very thin early wood growth. I like to cut trees that are exposed to wind, and also like to cut species that grow near the northern extent of their range. I also prefer making bows from woods that are on the higher end of the density spectrum, so here in Vermont I lean towards hickory, black locust and eastern hophornbeam.

That's what I have to add. I'll watch this thread with interest!

[JonW]

I live in NW Arkansas. Lots of rocks and very little soil. Most of the Osage I cut comes from hillsides. Tight rings but ratio is pretty good. I am partial to the wood from my area. Seems to be above average density.

[Badger]

  I buy most of my wood but I do try to make mental notes of where it comes from. I have grown to prefer osage that grows in the more northern extremes of its range. Ohio, Michigan, Illinois.

[turtle]

Im sure environment has to play some part in a trees properties and have wodered how much it changes a trees properties or if it still comes down to genetics. I have cut trees only a few yards apart that varied quite a bit in ring thickness and density. So it cant all depend on environment.  But I haven't cut enough or made enough bows to draw any conclusions as to the best envirinment and I would think the best environment would probably be different for different species also. I do know that the best performing osage I ever cut was in a not very well drained bottom in a narrow valley. It had been blown over and the main trunk was split for half its length. Paper thin rings that feel like you can almost scrape offf with your thumbnail. Every bow I have made out of it shoots way harder and faster than it seems it should.

[osage outlaw]

I've noticed certain hillsides on my property have very slow growing thin ringed trees.  Other areas have all thick ringed trees.  I've also cut two trees side by side and one will have thick rings and the other thin.  I can't figure out what makes one grow quicker than the other.  Osage trees growing in moist areas all seem to have thick rings.  I can get a good idea of how the rings will look by studying the bark. 

[SLIMBOB]

Clint.  I have noticed that the bark varies from one tree to another, but I have not ever looked at how that ties in to the rings.  Interesting!  Some of it has that flaky deeply furrowed bark, while some trees have the really tightly patterned looking bark.  I will start paying attention to that.

[osage outlaw]

I made a post about it a while back Slimbob.  Here is a link


http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,49976.15.html

[DavidV]

These days, my preference is to cut trees that grow in areas that are fairly stressful for them. I like to cut trees that grow on slopes, especially on slopes that are well drained. I also like to cut trees that get just barely enough water, grow slowly and end up with relatively thin rings with very thin early wood growth. I like to cut trees that are exposed to wind, and also like to cut species that grow near the northern extent of their range. I also prefer making bows from woods that are on the higher end of the density spectrum, so here in Vermont I lean towards hickory, black locust and eastern hophornbeam.

Yes, I've noticed that stressed trees tend to be stronger as well. Some of the toughest wood I've seen was a winged elm cut on a limestone bluff which tolerated wind and very little water through its life. The growth rings were small but had a really good ratio, unfortunately it was filled with wind checks.

Great info, I may consider all of this when looking for wood now.

[Del the cat]

With reference only to Yew.
I have drawn a general conclusion over the years... and that is.
You can't draw any general conclusions.
Del