Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Julian on March 30, 2018, 05:43:32 am

Title: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: Julian on March 30, 2018, 05:43:32 am
So I've pretty much used up my sugar maple, and I'm looking at my timber supplier to see what I should try next. I'd enjoy something different to present me with a new set of challenges.

Here is the list of available timbers
https://www.mathewstimber.com.au/timber-species (https://www.mathewstimber.com.au/timber-species)

Some notable ones that I've picked out are:

Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: JWMALONE on March 30, 2018, 06:36:50 am
I've never made a bow from any of those, I have  read several times that white oak is indestructible. I'm keeping an out for some myself.
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: Swampman on March 30, 2018, 06:39:29 am
I would go with the white ash or beech.  I have used white ash and it is decent bow wood.  Beech i have heard is very tough.
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: Marc St Louis on March 30, 2018, 07:13:18 am
That should read Prunus Serotina.  If they offered American Beech then I would say go for it.  That leaves White Oak as the best choice with White Ash as a second choice
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: Pat B on March 30, 2018, 07:14:16 am
Oaks, ash or beeches.
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: tattoo dave on March 30, 2018, 09:54:19 am
I'd go with Ash, Beech, and the Black walnut. Plenty of nice bows made from black walnut, but Ash would be my first pick from that list.

Tattoo Dave
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: hoosierf on March 30, 2018, 10:38:12 am
White oak makes a nice bow. Leave it a little wide 2-2.25”. I’ve backed them but I’m not sure that is necessary.
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: loefflerchuck on March 30, 2018, 11:39:22 am
Ash or white oak. If you use white oak it does well with recurve. Oak takes set like no other wood I have worked with so after it's shot in you will have a bit of a deflex recurve bow that shoots well.
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: Julian on March 30, 2018, 03:42:50 pm
Thanks folks, I think I'll look at the white ash and white oak piles and just choose the best board out of those.
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: Hamish on March 30, 2018, 07:55:58 pm
Where abouts are you, Sydney or Melbourne? I go to Matthews Timber quite  bit. With careful searching you can find straight grained boards suitable for bows.
out of that list I'd go for oak, or ash too. How did you go with the sugar maple?
                                         
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: Julian on March 31, 2018, 12:34:28 am
Quote from: Hamish on March 30, 2018, 07:55:58 pm
Where abouts are you, Sydney or Melbourne? I go to Matthews Timber quite  bit. With careful searching you can find straight grained boards suitable for bows.
out of that list I'd go for oak, or ash too. How did you go with the sugar maple?
                                         


Melbourne.

I made 3 successful bows from the maple, so far. A longbow, a flatbow, and a molle. I have a bit left but its from the centre of a flat sawn slab so theres lots of ring violations.
Title: Re: Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on March 31, 2018, 06:54:34 am
White oak is pretty durable. I m not a fan of white ash largely because  it has chrysalled on me in the past but a good bowyer friend loves it.

What I did years ago was make bows from every viable bow wood and some not so viable so I could make my own decisions.

Jawge