Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Tzuridis on March 20, 2013, 12:16:50 pm

Title: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: Tzuridis on March 20, 2013, 12:16:50 pm
Hi my names Ted, Im new here. I have tried to make a few bows before with utter failure :). Most recently with a crab apple tree someone cut down, but unfortunately that didnt work either.

Anyway I found a lot of these trees in the woods in Eastern NC. I believe they are sweetgum trees but there are no spiky ball fruits any where to be found. Does anyone know if this in fact some type of fruitless sweetgum tree? Could it be since all the trees around are so young they do not produce the spiky ball fruit yet?

(http://i48.tinypic.com/63rtlc.jpg)

(http://i49.tinypic.com/10hin4j.jpg)

Thank you for reading and replying.
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: PrimitiveTim on March 20, 2013, 12:19:33 pm
ya dude looks like a sweetgum.
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: Tzuridis on March 20, 2013, 12:27:27 pm
Ok thank you
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: richardzane on March 20, 2013, 12:29:53 pm
the leaf is sweetgum,
but that bumpy barked tree there looks a lot like a hackberry. we don't have sweet gum in the wild here though in NE Ok.

Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: Tzuridis on March 20, 2013, 12:33:50 pm
Yea thats what I thought at first but I cant find any other types of leaves other than the one I took a picture of.
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: PrimitiveTim on March 20, 2013, 12:47:02 pm
I wouldn't rule it out cause of the bark.  I've seen some pretty weird bark on sweetgum trees.  The bark will be a lot softer than that of hackberry.
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: Tzuridis on March 20, 2013, 12:51:45 pm
I read a couple of times on here that sweetgum wood is good for bows just as hackberry is. Correct? If thats right then it wouldnt really matter would it?
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: osagejack on March 20, 2013, 01:44:42 pm
that is without doubt sweetgum leaf  hackberry tree
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: Hrothgar on March 20, 2013, 01:50:14 pm
You may want to check out the wood property stats for this wood, the sweetgum in the U.S. isn't the same gum tree found in Austrailia and isn't related to the eucalyptus (sp?) family.
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on March 20, 2013, 01:59:37 pm
Sweet Gum is a lovely carving wood.  If those bow properties aren't steller I'd say let it get bigger.
Title: Re: Is this a Sweetgum tree?
Post by: Tzuridis on March 20, 2013, 02:13:40 pm
Ok thanks guys