Author Topic: Can't wait 'till August!  (Read 4276 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Scallorn

  • Member
  • Posts: 182
Can't wait 'till August!
« on: April 23, 2013, 09:43:08 pm »
Found this mulberry sapling out in the woods close to my house. I'm waiting for the sap to be at it's maximum before I cut it. Is mulberry sapwood good for the back of the bow? I don't plan on chasing a ring on it, because I'm trying to keep it as "native american" as possible, and I don't believe they chased rings much. Also, there is loads of hickory and elm back there too  :)

Offline twisted hickory

  • Member
  • Posts: 375
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2013, 10:08:57 pm »
Pray some overzelous 10 yr old doesn't show up with a hatchet or the loggers come for "timber management". ;) I gotta black locust up the road that is 16 inches at the stump and from what I can tell is clear and no twist for the first 12 foot.
I bet all of us have at least one tree were drooling to get at with a draw knife ::)
Greg

Offline Newindian

  • Member
  • Posts: 734
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2013, 10:10:10 pm »
The only native american bows I know of with a violated back were sinew backed
I like free stuff.

Offline twisted hickory

  • Member
  • Posts: 375
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2013, 10:13:42 pm »
I think they did use osage and black locust. Not sure if they backed all of the bows or not.
Greg

blackhawk

  • Guest
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2013, 10:41:21 pm »
Let it grow,and go cut some of that hickory and elm if you want sapwood backed na style bows....that mulberry needs to be left to grow for another 15+ years minimum,then it'll be ready....mulberry is best with a heartwood ring chased

Offline Scallorn

  • Member
  • Posts: 182
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2013, 10:57:00 pm »
Twisted Hickory, I am sure nobody is getting to this one before me! It's in one of those secret places that we all have, that nobody else knows about Haha!
Blackhawk, I don't know, I'm pretty tempted to cut this one. I thought it would make a good sapling bow. I have seen at least three powhatan bows from the 1600s in steve allely and jim hamm's encyclopedia, that I'm pretty sure would have been made from saplings.
I might be wrong though.

Offline twisted hickory

  • Member
  • Posts: 375
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2013, 11:26:42 pm »
Twisted Hickory, I am sure nobody is getting to this one before me! It's in one of those secret places that we all have, that nobody else knows about Haha!
Blackhawk, I don't know, I'm pretty tempted to cut this one. I thought it would make a good sapling bow. I have seen at least three powhatan bows from the 1600s in steve allely and jim hamm's encyclopedia, that I'm pretty sure would have been made from saplings.
I might be wrong though.
I am planning on cutting my locust tree as soon as nursing classes are done. I bet there is at least 3 nice staves knot free in it. I hope my locust is safe as well! Only my saw will violate the growth rings! LOL.

Offline Joec123able

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,769
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2013, 11:34:12 pm »
If I was planning on cutting that tree I'd cut it as soon as possible so you don't have to wait as long to let it dry
I like osage

Offline Scallorn

  • Member
  • Posts: 182
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2013, 11:40:09 pm »
Joe, I would cut it now, but I want to wait for the sap to be up. When the sap is up, the bark will peel off really easily.

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,633
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2013, 11:51:33 pm »
If the tree has leafed out I would cut it now. the bark should peel right off. Last years growth ring has had all winter to mature. If you wait til August you will be working with a brand new, immature ring. What diameter is the mulberry tree? If 2" or less I would peel the bark, seal the whole pole and cut out the belly side of the limbs and bind it to a form until it dries. If 3" or more, strip the bark, seal and band saw it in half lengthwise then bind the two halves back together, belly to belly, with spacers between the 2 halves. By August they should be ready to build bows.
   I have made successful bows with mulberry that were all heartwood, 50/50heart/sap and with a  few rings of sapwood left on. They all worked well but the more sapwood the thicker the limbs will be. The best bow will be all heartwood.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Badly Bent

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,750
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2013, 11:54:00 pm »
Scallorn, I just finished a sapwood backed mulberry eastern woodland style bow. First time leaving sapwood on mulberry for me but
it turned out real nice, My stave was a 15 year seasoned piece and from a larger diameter tree. Also I chased sapwood down to the
last ring above the heartwood. I think its a nice look, kinda like yew with the contrast of sap/heart on back/belly. At least on mine
I don't think the one thin ring of sapwood affected the bows performance or durability. I'd try it again when I have more mulberry.
I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.

Offline Youngboyer2(billyf)

  • Member
  • Posts: 487
  • Live by the man-née and the sa-wa.
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2013, 12:27:06 am »
I bet all of us have at least one tree were drooling to get at with a draw knife ::)
Greg

I know I have one I can't get off my mind! That's just too true
"You speak Treason!" "Fluently"-Robin of Locksley
When people ask "why didn't you do that the first time" you can be sure that they  have never made a bow before.

Offline Scallorn

  • Member
  • Posts: 182
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2013, 01:16:11 am »
Thanks for the advise pat b. I will definitely be cutting it soon then, the leaves are just now reaching full size.

Offline Joec123able

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,769
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2013, 02:57:13 am »
Where do you live ??! Here in Iowa none of the trees have leaves yet
I like osage

Offline rossfactor

  • Member
  • Posts: 805
  • Humboldt County CA
Re: Can't wait 'till August!
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2013, 03:27:26 am »
I bet that if you use the outer ring as the back of the bow, you will get little to no heartwood in that size stave.

I love sapling bows.  More than half of my bows are sapling bows. But when you're working with narrow diamter saplings, its best with woods whose sapwood alone is good for bow making (hickory, oak, plum and other friutwoods, HHB, buckthorn, cascara, etc). 

Woods whose sapwood (alone) is poorer for bowmaking (e.g. Osage, Locust, Cedar, Juniper etc), are better from staves with a large enough dimater to support a good amount of sapwood.

I could be totally wrong, but if that mulberry tree is 4-5 inches in diameter, I'm betting you only get 2" of heartwood max.  Without chasing a ring,(e.g. just using the outer ring as the back of the bow) you will only have heartwood in your handle, and little to none in your limbs.

Still may make a nice bow, but I think Blackhawks advice is sound. 

Gabe
Humboldt County CA.