Kentucky Coffee Tree ?

[ricktrojanowski]

Anybody have any experience w/ Kentucky Coffee tree for a bow?  Do you build a bow w/similar dimensions as an osage or do you build like a whitewood bow?

[Auggie]

Never built it,but it is in the hickory family,so build it just like it was hick,and post the pics!

[Coo-wah-chobee]

whitewood.............................bob

[Hillbilly]

Never built it,but it is in the hickory family,so build it just like it was hick,and post the pics!

Actually, KCT is in the Fabacaea, legume or bean family-same family as locust. Hickory is in the Juglandacaea, or walnut family. Here are the USDA wood stats for KCT:

General

The wood of Kentucky coffeetree is ring porous, resembling ash, honeylocust or sassafras. Its sapwood is narrow and yellowish white, while the heartwood is light red to reddish brown. The wood has no characteristic odor or taste. It is hard and heavy, with a coarse, straight grain.

 

 

Mechanical Properties (2-inch standard)

 
 
 
 
 Compression
 
 
 
 
 
 Specific

gravity
 MOE

x106 lbf/in2
 MOR

lbf/in2
 Parallel

lbf/in2
 Perpendicular

lbf/in2
 WMLa

in-lbf/in3
 Hardness

lbf
 Shear

lbf/in2
 
Green
 0.53
 1.00
 7,320
 3,360
 870
 —
 1,080
 1,360
 
Dry
 0.60
 1.42
 10,500
 6,600
 1,470
 —
 1,390
 1,780
 
aWML = Work to maximum load.

Reference (90).
 

 

 

 

Drying and Shrinkage

Type of shrinkage
 Percentage of shrinkage
(green to final moisture content)
 
0% MC
 6% MC
 20% MC
 
Tangential
 7.6
 5.9
 2.4
 
Radial
 4.1
 3.3
 1.2
 
Volumetric
 11.9
 9.6
 4.0
 
Reference (90).
 

Kiln Drying Schedule: No information available at this time.

Working Properties: Kentucky coffeetree works without difficulty and finishes to a smooth surface.

Durability: Very resistant to heartwood decay, especially in contact with the soil.

Preservation: No information available at this time.

Uses: Cabinets, railroad ties, fence posts and rails, general construction, railway sleepers, bridge timbers, sills, interior finish, fuel. The seeds were used by the pioneers as a coffee substitute ("coffeetree").

[snedeker]

I've wondered about it too and figure one would use in designs similar to those used for oak.  Its popular around here in PA along streets in towns.  Has big seed pods.

Dave

[TRACY]

Hats off to Hillbilly with the correction. I've got some staves drying as I type. I plan on building as I would with hickory. I also want to chase a heartwood ring and compare with the bow with sapwood. Good luck

[snedeker]

Yes, Hillbilly appears to be  ::)maybe even better-educated than Jethro Bodine.

[Hillbilly]

I probably went to the same school as Jethro. I have about the same IQ 

[Rich Saffold]

We even have several of these trees here. I remember seeing a bow made from it at Mojam... Also I have yet to see any wood which is decay resistant not make a good bow..

Rich-More diversity here than I can tackle in a lifetime...

[ricktrojanowski]

Thanks for the info.  If I get the stave and build I'll post pics,  but as long as it takes me to get bows built, it will be quite a while.