Goin' Round the Mulberry Bush

[HH~]

Looks to taking shape right nice. Enjoy seeing how it progresses.

Hedge~

[SLIMBOB]

Thanks guys.  So far, I would rate Mulberry as Top Shelf.  Very nice to work under a drawknife and heat bends super easy.  Really anxious to get a string on it and see what it does.  A few problem spots on it.  I may have to glue a handle section on.  It gets thin right there so I made it 1 1/4 inches wide to compensate.  Also on one of the limbs I will have to crown a spot on the belly as it got pretty thin on one side from where it split. No biggie on either.

[ksnow]

That is looking very good. Glad to hear you like mulberry so much. I have a few staves in the pile that you are making me want to dig out sooner rather than later.

I hope the process continues well for you and can't wait to see the final pictures.

Kyle

[bjrogg]

Looks good so far Slimbob. I took the sapwood and bark off one a few weeks ago that I harvested about three or four winters ago. I almost gave up getting that sapwood off. Wow did I need my Wheaties for that job. Glad to hear the heartwood worked easier for you. Those are some thick rings.
Bjrogg

[SLIMBOB]

Thanks Kyle. I have been jonesing to do a Mulberry bow for a long time. Going all the way back to when I started making shavings. I cut this stave in Dec. 2012. I’ve read up on it a bunch and pretty much everyone that has worked it speaks highly of it. Many have claimed it as one of their favorite bow woods. Early yet for me to make any definitive statements, but thus far I am lovin’ it.

Bj...yeah the sapwood was an absolute nightmare to remove. Might be easier to remove it while it’s green, but I didn’t. It didn’t have a single drying check in the heart wood. I just sealed the ends and stored it in my garage. It didn’t peel off, it broke off in chunks. Really tuff. The heart wood works like a fine cut of meat. Anxious to see how it finishes out.

[SLIMBOB]

A few more tweaks on the alignment and I'm golden.  Loving this Mulberry.

[burchett.donald]

 Dangit Bob, that looks good bud, Excellent progress...
                                                                                   Don

[SLIMBOB]

Thanks Don.  A few minor adjustments on alignment and the reflex, and then I will move toward getting a string on it.  It's way heavy right now, but it works so easily, you can take a lot of wood off in a big hurry if your not careful. 

[SLIMBOB]

Got the tip overlays glued on and rough shaped.  Black Cherry.  Bout the only thing this stuff is good for in my opinion.  Did some tweaking on the alignment and it should be good to go.  Got a little floor tillering done as well.  I'll get a string on it this weekend.

[Deerhunter21]

Beautiful. Its great!

[simson]

Comes along nicely, Bob.
Curious what's going on.

[bjrogg]

That's looking really nice so far Bob. Don't stop to pull up your sock.lol.
Bjrogg

[SLIMBOB]

Thanks guys.  Looking forward to what you have learned and put into practice Deerhunter.
Simon, your bows are all top shelf.  That goes without saying.  More amazing is the number of those beauties you turn out.  I'm just having fun with some new toys.
Bj, been lucky to get some time in on them each evening.  I needed to start something while the sinew dries on the other.  Some say 2 weeks, but the consensus seems to be let it dry for a month.  This was the perfect time to take a run at this Mulberry.  I am really surprised with it.  I'm thinning it down and it still wont bend much at floor tiller, so this wood has got some muscle to it.  Dry heat with no oil on all the bends, and no splits so far as I can tell.  Well, one opened on the lateral straightening, with the grain, but its nearly gone.  It heat bends super easy.  Just enjoying this one.

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks good. Enjoy. Jawge

[SLIMBOB]

Thanks Jawge.