Author Topic: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?  (Read 4454 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« on: July 25, 2013, 02:55:33 pm »
I have a little bit of yellow heart I purchased mostly to use as cores, but I have heard of and seen on here a couple example of yellow heart being used as a belly wood. I know I read a post Jaro made saying that he has used it as a belly wood with success, as well as a couple other people I think, (adb?). The bit I have is pretty light, and I am kinda weary to try anything high weight with it, but I do wanna try it. Also, there is something else that is killing me about this wood, which is the smell! I hear people say it smells bad, but I love the smell. Whats killing me is I can't put my finger on what it is? It reminds me exactly of a barbor shop for some reason!,  ;D.
« Last Edit: July 25, 2013, 03:03:44 pm by toomanyknots »
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2013, 03:23:54 pm »
Ive never used it. But when I handled pieces it reminded me of ipe. Its density, grain make up and weight seem the same.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline BOWMAN53

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Re: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2013, 05:01:11 pm »
Boarriorbows on youtube used it, i think he named the bow bumblebee or something. Send him a pm and see what he says.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2013, 05:06:11 pm »
Boarriorbows on youtube used it, i think he named the bow bumblebee or something. Send him a pm and see what he says.

Thanks for the heads up!

Ive never used it. But when I handled pieces it reminded me of ipe. Its density, grain make up and weight seem the same.

You sure you ain't thinkin of Argentinian osage? This stuff I got here is pretty light, kinda reminds me more of mulberry.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

mikekeswick

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Re: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2013, 06:21:46 pm »
Pau amerillo or yellowheart is fantastic belly wood. Very elastic stuff, density around 0.65 - 0.7, soft in an easy to work way and sands/finishes very nicely. I really rate it.
It will do a hundred pounder no worries. The heaviest bow i've made from it was 87# from memory, it was an elb only a shade over 1 inch wide at the handle, kept that width for 8 inches either side of the handle tapered to 11/16th 8 inches from the nocks down to just over 3/8ths.
Pearl - true yellowheart is very different to ipe you must have had something else.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2013, 08:22:40 pm »
Pau amerillo or yellowheart is fantastic belly wood. Very elastic stuff, density around 0.65 - 0.7, soft in an easy to work way and sands/finishes very nicely. I really rate it.
It will do a hundred pounder no worries. The heaviest bow i've made from it was 87# from memory, it was an elb only a shade over 1 inch wide at the handle, kept that width for 8 inches either side of the handle tapered to 11/16th 8 inches from the nocks down to just over 3/8ths.
Pearl - true yellowheart is very different to ipe you must have had something else.

Well that all sounds great to my ears, thank you!
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Joec123able

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Re: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2013, 08:43:09 pm »
There's a guy who does bow making classes and in the beginner class I beleive they all use bamboo backed yellow heart for there bows and yellow heart must hold up well for beginners to use it
I like osage

Offline adb

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Re: How good really is yellow heart as a belly wood?
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2013, 10:16:04 pm »
I've used it once on a tri-lam ELB, 50#. Work very well. Plan on using it again. Fairly easy to work, also.