doubtful wood? Fagus sylvatica Outcome page 2: 43#28" ntn 65"

[backtowood B2W]

This was a big Tree which has been cracked by a windstorm. It growed at 1400m SL, where I harvest my maple, beech, and ash.
I always wanted to try the beech too, but the littler ones have a lot of knots and the big ones are just to big
So i was very happy to find this splint. I just chopped it off the trunk and took it with me. This peace was already debarked, and quit dry - the trunk lay on the ground for about 4 month. So the stain comes from that. The last grow rings are very tight (8 rings per 1/4"). TTT 67".
I couldn't find any about beech for bows, so I wanted to give it a try as it feels dense too.
Roughed it out, - a Sudbury design matched best to the stave. The surface of the splint is still visible in the handle and inner limbs, will have to glue up a peace to the handle.
But before I keep on working on this I will wait what you guys think about...
Simk was already loughing at me and wished me good luck - he says beech is no good bowwood...

b2tw
some pics

[AndrewS]

 I haven't tried beech, because I never heard from a beech bow. Beech has short fibers and so I am with simk.

[PatM]

Marc has successfully used Beech and I think he likes it a bit more than Ash.

[turmoiler]

I think that beech is an underrated wood. It is hard and heavy and have good elasticity. The people say that it is no good because of short fibers but I think that this can be solved with a backing. If you are going to use it just consider that it is prone to decay and to warp and check while drying. Ahhh, wear a dust mask because its dust can cause naseofarigeous cancer.
Let us know how it goes

 

[simk]

Hey bttw

Thank you for shaking that dogma...and mistrust my advice 

As I already told you I'm really curious about your results - go for it and report!

Cheers

[backtowood B2W]

sorry simk I really consider your advice 
thats why I'm asking - to get more infos about that wood.
thank you for helping me out, I think I will continue
maybe some advices about crossection? - I would go for a tapered shape - bellywards like the original Sudbury

i also guess there is a big diffrence between american and european beech

[Roby-Nie]

If it is fagus sylvatica and it was on the ground for 4 month ... you don't stand a chance.
Fagus sylvatica isn't a bow wood at all, even if it is freshly havested.
But give it a try and report.

[AndrewS]

@backtothewood
of course, there is a diffrence between american an european beech. But there is no diffrence between fagus sylvatica and fagus sylvatica, that is called red beech in Germany. We also have hopbeech and white beech and this sorts of beech can be excellent bow woods - you call them hophornbeam or hornbeam... (Ostrya carpinifolia or  Carpinus betulus (european)  / carpinus caroliniana is the wood you call ironwood....)

[PatM]

Let's not complicate things by bringing in the hornbeams.
 
 Interestingly a few of the American trees with a Eurasian counterpart show marginally greater strength in the Eurasian species.  For others the opposite is true.

[George Tsoukalas]

Years ago, I made one of about 40# which failed because I tried leaving the bark on for grins and giggles. The bark pulled away and the bow broke. I don't think it would have broken otherwise.
Do wear a mask when making sawdust.

Jawge

[AndrewS]

not to be misunderstood, beech is for me red beech (fagus sylvatica). And in my opinion that stuff is not good for a bow. May be with a backing??

[upstatenybowyer]

Fagus sylvatica is European Beech and I can't speak to it, though Simson says it's not a good bow wood.

Fagus grandifolia, aka American Beech, on the other hand I can speak to. I consider it one of the better, if not one of the best "white woods." This is the species Marc likes. I have built a number of bows from it and all have taken very little set. It does particularly well with a thorough heat treating.

[backtowood B2W]

Ok, I see, thank you all for helping me out.
But, decision to keep on working or not, isn't easier.

Andrew, it is definitely red beech. There is another Spezies around called Hainbuche (carpinus betulus)

I think I will make it to a side project, so please be patient about the result.
Any suggestions which crosssection works best for this?
I will have to steam bend and twist first to get a bit more balanced side profile - should work well with steam, thinking about thonet chair which are made of this stuff too

[AndrewS]

you can steambend red beech easy. That depends on the short fibers.

Hainbuche will be the better wood for a bow.

[lleroy]

it's mentioned as 8/10 on this site...

https://www.licorneargent.be/les-arcs/facture-experience/quel-bois/