Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Josh on June 15, 2012, 03:41:39 pm
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I went to my local hardwood supplier and bought a board of hickory today. I went through his whole pile and found one that had a section with some pretty straight grain. I brought it home and put it on my table saw and cut it out so each piece is between 1/8th-3/16ths of an inch thick... I ended up with enough to make 12 bows with so I guess I did alright LOL. I feel like I hit the jackpot! :) :) The longer pieces are 67" long and the shorter pieces are 45" long. every piece the grain runs end to end on too. :) Cost me less than 20 dollars. :) Sorry just had to share my good fortune. There should be a bunch of hickory-backed-somethings in my future anyhow. :)
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/IMAG0146.jpg)
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/deftones3333/IMAG0145.jpg)
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At 12-15 bucks each they add up quick Josh.
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At 12-15 bucks each they add up quick Josh.
that's true! I have less than 2 dollars in each one so I think I did pretty good! :) :)
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Good one Josh, I don't have hickory here so I buy boards when I go back east and ship it home to cut up. I am starting to prefer hickory backs to boo, just seems more relaible.
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I have cut them before on my table saw, Josh, using the blade that came with the saw. Do you use a special blade for them? It looks like they turned out great!
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Thanks Steve! I have about the same luck with both and the hickory is easier for me to get and for me to process too. :)
Kenny, it's a 10" blade and it's either a 3 tpi or 4 tpi blade. It tends to leave scorch marks on the boards sometimes as I cut them but I usually make a pass or two on them with my belt sander after I get them all cut out anyway. :)
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I have a 15 amp 10" table saw and have been looking for a good lam blade. I had about decided on a thin kerf 24t blade. I don't see any 3 or 4 tpi blades for table saws, only band saws.
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Sweet! That was a good lick. Where did you buy that board? I range that far north, now and then, Josh. Good hardwood lumber is hard to find for me. Here I live down in the woods, but most of the hardwood I see is on a log truck headed for somewhere else!
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sorry Kenny I made a mistake. I use a 3 tpi blade on my bandsaw and the blade on my table saw that i used to cut out the backing strips is a 10" blade with 28 teeth. :) I think I was a little dehydrated or something yesterday LOL. :)
I got the board from Hardwoods Inc. out by the Shelby County Airport but the rest of the hickory they had in stock isn't really suitable for backing in my opinion. They do have a bunch of Yellowheart (Good belly wood!) Maple, Ash, White Oak, and Red Oak though. :)
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Yeah, I've been there, believe it or not. My son lives in Gadsden and we swung by there on the way back home a few trips ago and I picked up some bocote, cocobola, zebrawood, and purple heart from them. Since then I found out I have a place about 5 miles from my house that sells almost every exotic wood you can think of. Go figure.
As for the blade, the last time I tried to rip some 1.75" lams of hickory, my saw was really struggling. I was using the combo blade that came on it (which is probably dull by now). I have read since that the thin kerf blades with fewer teeth work best for ripping. I'm leaning toward the Freud thin kerf 25t blade. If your 28 tooth blade works good that one should do OK too. I'll let you know.
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if you have money for it you could try the forrest mr. sawdust blades if they still make them. they where supposed to be really good blades.
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josh if you can get a good white oak i think it's a better backer than hickory, i've had hickory backers break, but not white oak, Bub