Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Tilbilly on January 27, 2009, 04:34:39 pm
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Scored a decent black locust heartwood board at a local sawmill. I have lots of bamboo slats for backing a d/r bow.
Is it a workable combination, or do I go back and get some hickory to rip for backing?
Not apposed to keeping it long to keep stress low (68" -72" ntn).
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Boo will Do!!!!
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Billy, it will work but give it plenty of working limb, the locust just chrysals up if you use the regular d/r tiller we see a lot. Steve
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Yep....what I would shoot for is a nice D Bow with the Boo Backing....even with a Hickory Back you can still get the B.L. Chrysals on the Belly....Locust needs to be just about a Perfect Tiller....Locust will squeal on You for Cheating or taking Advantage of the Wood
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Just finished up a hickory-backed hickory. Used a little deflex, a little reflex. Nothing extreme. I'll do the same with the black locust and use a short handle/fade area. More like the classic selfbow handle area.
Appreciate the advice, folks.
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I kinda figured this would be the worst wood to back with boo. I figured since it sucks at compression, the boo would easily overpower it? But I don't know.
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Locust doesn't suck at compression. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Its higher in compression than osage. I've made lots of hickory backed black locust and they turn out great! Not much of a boo bow builder but I have made a couple and they came out fine to. Just tiller carefully and don't over stress a unevenly bending limb. Here's a r/d hickory backed black locust bows I raffled off at our trad shoot last year. 64"ntn 55#@28"
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Here's another one with a semi-reverse style handle.
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Wow ! Pretty all over. Frank
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Thanks, Ryan. I did a search a coupla days ago on another site and pulled up your bow. Still haven't got all the drool off my keyboard. You do some nice work.
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It is not weak at all in compression, very strong actually but it will chrysal before it takes set is the problem with locust. Lots of tropical woods in the acacia family do the same thing. I have noticed that locust from different parts of the country is not the same. I just finished a locust bow last week that was super light as it was so thin when I finished it. I still prefer thin hickory for a locust back. Steve
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I thought frets was a sign of a weak compression wood?
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Country, I know of several very strong woods that will chrysal, a lot of woods go into the plastic phase where they take a bit of set before they fail, other woods just het their limit and then chrysal, doesn't realy mean they are weak. Strong in compression simply means how they resist being compressed, other qualities would include elasticity which is how far they will compress before permanent deformation occurs. Osage will take a lot of set before it chrysals if you can make it chrysal at all but I believe that locust is probably stronger in compression than osage is or at least a lot of osage. Steve
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I have a bow by Manny that is made from the Legendary Guava, that has cracks and Chrysals in the belly.
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Hmmm...I'm learnin'. I just may go git me some hickory backing after all. Save the 'boo for backing more ipe bows. Just to be safe.