Author Topic: Anyone tried Mesquite?  (Read 4014 times)

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Westbound

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Anyone tried Mesquite?
« on: February 05, 2009, 05:19:01 pm »
Has anyone tried a Mesquite wood bow?

I know Mesquite is a stout hardwood, and woodworkers like the way it works.
Here in Texas we are overrun with this non-native tree, so if it would make a good bow, I might be able to supply a goodly about for the Trading Post.

Offline DanaM

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2009, 07:55:38 pm »
Mesquite will make a good bow, I've heard of a few but I believe one of the problems with it is finding a decent piece i.e. straight enough and big enough.

Ribeyes taste great cooked on it :)
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Westbound

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2009, 08:03:05 pm »
LOL.  Everything tastes better cooked over mesquite!!

Tree selection would be an issue.  Finding a 6 or 7 foot straight piece could be a challange.
Next time I'm at my grandmother's I'll look.  Before my grandfather died I spent summers there with the explicit orders to kill any and all mesquite sprouts, but there are still several trees in the fencelines.

Offline mullet

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2009, 08:49:25 pm »
  I've always wanted to try one. I thought you could splice billets and sinew back it. I've wanted to make a sinew-backed take-down, though.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2009, 09:47:42 pm »
Tried it a couple times....the latest one is just sitting there, unfinished.  It's too brittle for a short, narrow bow but a wide limb one might work.  I was thinking of backing mine with sinew but I think I'll wait for humid weather here (late summer).  I just broke a short elm bow last week.

It heat or steam bends well when green.  NA's used it for bows and foreshafts.
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

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huntersim

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2009, 10:39:19 pm »
I built a bow with a slat that Dave Rue (look for snedeker, he's built one or two and liked it) gave me. It needed a backing so I used some hickory and built a little 58" bow about 1 1/4" wide with a rounded belly. It seems to make a nice bow with a backing of some sort.  I've stalled putting a proper finish on it because I keep expecting to see frets and the finish I was putting on it originally, looked really bad. I just spliced another piece also from Dave that I plan on building a slightly longer recurve from.




Offline snedeker

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2009, 11:52:22 am »
Ed Scott of Owl bows makes sinewed mesquite bows.   Very weak in compression.  A hard wood.   I have done a couple straight ones backed with hickory but have been a little cursed wtih foul ups.  String slip off causing belly crack, adn the last one I got the handle a little too narrow and the glue on piece wants to pop off - may have to to a take down out of it.

The lumber is pretty expensive.

Dave

Offline mullet

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2009, 09:31:59 pm »
 How have you been Dave? I havn't seen you on in awhile.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline snedeker

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Re: Anyone tried Mesquite?
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2009, 10:27:09 am »
My first post in months.  Weaned my way off for a bit, working on a book.  You know, its hard to be an occassional bowyer.  Have ruined a couple through dumb carelessness.  Thanks for noticing my absence

Dave