Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: kiltedcelt on June 23, 2009, 12:17:52 am
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I may be able to get my hands on two to three very stout trunks from some Kentucky Coffee Trees that are being cut down at my workplace this week. I've seen two of the three trees and they have trunks at least 8-10" in diameter from which I can get staves up to probably 7' long or so. Tim Baker includes KCT in his list of bow woods under the best bow woods category. It has a specific gravity of .60 and the only other info I've found (from a post on here), says, "The wood of Kentucky coffeetree is ring porous, resembling ash, honeylocust or sassafras. Its sapwood is narrow and yellowish white, while the heartwood is light red to reddish brown. The wood has no characteristic odor or taste. It is hard and heavy, with a coarse, straight grain." It also says, "Working Properties: Kentucky coffeetree works without difficulty and finishes to a smooth surface.Durability: Very resistant to heartwood decay, especially in contact with the soil. Uses: Cabinets, railroad ties, fence posts and rails, general construction, railway sleepers, bridge timbers, sills, interior finish, fuel. The seeds were used by the pioneers as a coffee substitute ("coffeetree")." All in all it sounds like a interesting wood to work with and one for which there seems to be a complete lack of info regading its use in making bows. If I can get a couple of these trees I can probably get I'd think at least 12 staves if not more, so I'd have plenty to experiment with. I'm thinking typical flatbows would be the safest bet but I'm also wondering if other designs like crowned belly English Longbow would work with this wood. I supposed I can also try other things like Holmgaards and such as well. Any thoughts?
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yup i got a thought ;D
collect them logs,split them into staves,seal them real well
then send me one ;)
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that's funny! i had the same thought as sailordad!
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I second that ;) . I love anything coffee ;D . What about as an arrow wood though? Has anyone ever of it being used.
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Timo tried a a KC bow it broke but I don't remember why it broke ??? I have a stave of it I will try this winter :)
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Poor craftsmenship Dana! ;D I actually can't remember how it broke either? I have more staves drying for this winters work. I think it will make a good bow,just haven't seen very many, and talked with many that have used it. there was a couple at Mojam a few years ago.
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ok since this wood doesnt grow in my area,and i will probably never get my hands on a stave.
i have seen this in board form at a hardwoods dealer,if i was to get a quarter sawn board
would it be able to be made into an unbacked board bow of lets say 26" draw,45lbs,60-66" ttt?
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Sailordad, if I get the buttload of staves I'm hoping for I'll send you one in trade if you want. That goes for everyone else as well - within reason ;) I don't want to trade off everything I get - gotta keep some to work with, but depending on how many I can get I may have more than enough. We'll know tomorrow.
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Well, it's a bust on the Coffee Trees. The had already cut down and chopped up the two good ones before I got to work this morning. There was a second shorter one that might have made some decent shortish bows (58" or so) but I found out from our vet (I work at a zoo), that this stuff is highly toxic - as toxic as Yew. So, knowing I'd need to dry staves where my hairbrained cats would probably be licking the staves or something stupid I let them chop up the last tree as well. However, I did score a nice big 10" diameter log of Hackberry which I'm going to split up today. Unfortunately now I won't have enough to share. If I had a shop to make my bows in I would've taken the Coffee Tree anyway, but seeing as how I do this stuff in my apartment I didn't want to take any chances with my cats. Oh well, maybe I'll get a chance to try some Coffee Tree in the future.
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Too bad on the Coffee Tree, but safety first right. And who knows, with that 10" hackberry, maybe you can find someone that has already dried Coffee.
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I've read about the beans being toxic, but not the wood itself? Maybe, I dunno. Gives me a good idea to rid the place of felines though?(sorry bout that but we have alot of feral cats round here).
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And chicken stealin dogs maybe ::) ;D?