Pecan limb?

[jham]

Hi all, my previous attempts at making a bow have not turned out so well, but I just had a pecan limb break out of one of my trees. Its a fairly straight limb, plenty long enough, but im not sure if it is big enough. It is maybe 2.5-3 inches diameter. Would this work and if so, how should it be laid out? I know the back will be pretty rounded, should the belly be flat or round it some? As soon as I get it all the way down I will get the ends sealed and the back.

[BowJunkie]

Pecan has basically the same properties as Hickory.
Lumber yards around me do not define if it is hickory, they just refer to it as pecan.
If it were me I would remove the bark and use the back as is.
The cambium layer looks nice when stained with leather dye in my opinion.
For the belly flat or rounded,, I would keep it flat.

[Pat B]

At 2 1/2" to 3" I would saw it in half lengthwise(as long as it doesn't spiral), remove the bark and wrap both halves back together with spacers between the two to allow it to loose moisture plus keep it from twisting or going into too much backset.
  When you are ready to tiller, mark off the handle(I prefer centered) and fades and begin reducing the limbs, keeping them flat. You should have enough thickness to make a stiff handle if that's what you want or allow the limbs to bend right up to the handle. You may have to add a bit to the belly side of the handle to fill it out but maybe not.  With a high crowned back you want to keep the belly flat.

[jham]

Thanks for the replies, its hung up on another tree right now, going to see if I can get it down tomorrow.

[Pappy]

That should be big enough,but what did it break out from, if it is dead I wouldn't try it and if the wind took it out be sure and check it good before you spend a lot of time on it, wind will do bad things to a tree or limb. Good luck and keep us posted.
   Pappy

[jham]

It wasnt dead, it was just loaded too heavy with leaves and pecans, we got a good bit of rain lately and it just couldnt hold it. I got it part of the way down today, hopefully it will be on the ground tomorrow, its not quite all the way broken. Had another limb fall at my grandmothers house, had to get that one cleaned up and while there wasnt enough straight wood on it for a bow, it will make good cooking wood for the smoker. Going to get some ribs and bbq going tomorrow.

[jham]

well, I got the pecan limb down, but not sure that it will make a bow, at least at my skill level. there were several small branches coming off of it that I didnt see, and a few knots. assuming that I chose a side where there is no knots, would the small limbs coming off be a problem? I assume they would be about like the knots. would it be possible to just smooth them over and leave them? maybe if backed with burlap or something?

Also, I dug out the board bow that I had started a while back and put to the side. I thought I had been pretty careful with the measurements and layout of it but they were way off. It already has some set but I figure may as well finish it out for the experiance. I got it all laid out again and got some more wood removal to do on it. I also have to get a different string for it as the one I had is a little too short, its 8 inches to the back of the handle, which is 1.5 in thick, so if you measure to the back of the bow it has 9.5 inches of brace height. Will be glad when my copies of the bowyers bibles get here, ordered vol 1 and 4 the other day.