Got started on the ironwood / ? for the hickory/osage guys also

[half eye]

was sayin as how I was given access to a large amount of dead standing ironwood. Made a couple bows from the stuff last fall so I know it's sound. Well here's some pics to show how straight it is also how heavy the butt end is.

Cut all of the wood today at 68". All the wood left of the large piece is one 4" diameter ironwood. the large piece is the butt end of a set of twins that are twice as tall as the little ones came from. I weighed the butt end and it was 83 pounds (avg diam 6-1/2' & length 68") and I'm curious as how that compares to similiar sized hickory or osage. This seems to be especially dense I think and was curious. There's so much out there gonna be makin trips for a couple weeks at least. Old men aint the fastest bunny in the hutch however so it might be longer.

I was impressed at how straight and limb/knot free these trees are.
rich

[H Rhodes]

That looks like some fine bow wood!  It's definitely some very dense wood.  I cut a piece about that size the other day and it was heavy as hell too.  You are lucky to have so much of it.  In my neck of the woods I have to spend a lot of time looking for a decent stave of hophornbeam - it's a little rare in these parts.   

[bubby]

that is some fine looking wood Rich, I got to think it is denser than hickory I have a pc of ocean spray, ironwood one inch across and it is heavy as all get out

[half eye]

Ya I know it is a windfall for sure. These ironwoods had to grow up in a hard maple forest so they had to get tall and straight, and that dont happen very often. I believe there might be as many as 75 trees total that are dead standing, and maybe that many (maybe a few more) thats dying because of "skidder" damage when the maple was logged off ,  about 3 years ago here shortly
rich

[lesken2011]

That's some good lookin wood, Rich! I see a lot of bows there. I can't wait to see some of them!!

[Cameroo]

Is that the same as the stuff they call muscle wood?  I've seen some really nice bows made from that stuff.  The outer rings are so ripply they look like muscle tissue.  Can't wait to see what you get out of these Rich.

[ksnow]

That looks like hop hornbeam, musclewood is just hornbeam (or blue beech).  I have also heard both called ironwood.  That is quite a haul, and sounds like you will be in ironwood for a while.  Definitely going to cut myself some after seeing what can be doen with this wood.

Kyle

[half eye]

This is what yall call hop hornbeam not the muscelwood (american hornbeam). All the sawyers up here call it ironwood.
rich

[Gsulfridge]

Nice haul Rich! Can't wait to see some bows outta that stuff.

[lostarrow]

Good stuff ,Rich!! How does it feel to finally post a picture with no snow in the background?