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Author Topic: Red Maple for Bow Wood?  (Read 4965 times)

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Offline IrishJay

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Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« on: May 02, 2019, 02:18:10 pm »
There's a nice 1 1/2" to 2" red maple sapling in the woods behind my house. It has a nice clear, straight 7' section that looks like it really wants to be a selfbow. I've had my eye on it for a while now, but haven't cut it because I'm not sure if red maple  can make a bow.
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Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2019, 07:25:05 pm »
test it, that's what I would do. Well first, it says in the TBB to make a mini bow out of it and if it works then theres a good chance that it will work, cut a tiny piece off and make it out of that
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Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2019, 07:38:30 pm »
I’ve made a handful from Hard Maple. Red Maple is Soft Maple. Never tried it but Deerhunter is right. It may not be as good as Osage or Elm or Yew, but it also might surprise you. If it’s what you have access to why not give it a shot. Cut it prep it dry it and then make a bow. A bend test is a good idea once it’s dry.
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2019, 07:45:36 pm »
Looking at the wood database, its properties look just slightly lower than red oak, and my current shooter is a red oak board bow, so I'll probably cut it and give it a try.
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Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2019, 08:19:28 pm »
Well, there you go. I made one from hackberry years ago. It sucked. Badly. But I learned that a bow could be made from such a unworthy source. Made a few more later and made them wider and tempered them well. These were as solid as any I had ever made. One of my favorite woods now. Good luck with it.
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Offline bassman

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #5 on: May 02, 2019, 09:10:31 pm »
I have tried it a couple of times. No luck with it.
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Offline Bayou Ben

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2019, 09:50:37 am »
I cut a red maple tree a couple months ago.  It was standing straight, but it had a pretty nasty propeller twist once I split it. 
That combined with it being marginal for bow use, I'll use if for accents. 
Just warning about the twist.  Maybe study the bark in depth before cutting. 
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2019, 11:25:04 am »
Here it is roughed out.

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Offline Bayou Ben

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2019, 12:03:23 pm »
Well you didn't waste much time  :OK

Did you leave it wide? 
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2019, 12:33:33 pm »
I left it full width, just roughed in the belly and the fades, everything else was left raw. Now the waiting starts. Luckily I have several other projects to occupy my time whilst this dries.
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Offline Bayou Ben

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #10 on: May 03, 2019, 12:39:21 pm »
It shouldn't take too long with it roughed out like that.  Like what's being discussed on the other thread, I would seal the back and ends if you haven't already. 
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2019, 12:50:37 pm »
That's my next step after debarking in finished. My 1 year old woke up from her while I was debarking, which means daddy's play time in the shop is over for now.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline IrishJay

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2019, 12:38:46 pm »
I did a bit more roughing out/reducing in the handle area today, it's starting to look like a bow. Tomorrow I'm going to cut the tapers on the tips. Planning to leave it full width out to 8" from the tips and taper to 3/4" from there. Then some simple whitetail tip overlays.



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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear

Offline bassman

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2019, 01:10:54 pm »
Your bow looks long.Mine were only 60 inches in length. It is all the saplings would give me. Maybe your,s will work out good for you. Good luck.Now rock or sugar maple which it some times called worked out good for me for bow wood.I am curios as to how your,s will hold up.
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Offline IrishJay

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Re: Red Maple for Bow Wood?
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2019, 02:13:31 pm »
Bass it's 68" ttt, 1.5" wide. I kept the non-working handle length short, so I have almost 63" of working limb.
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"The best camouflage pattern is called, 'Sit down and be quiet!' Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat, think about that for a second." - Fred Bear
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