A tale of 5 Yellow Birch Bows / great bow wood not often seen

[half eye]

Hey fellas,
    Was taking a break from some recent NA bows, and ran across my chart from the U.S. Forest Service. I must have read that list too many times to count, but this time I noticed the numbers for Yellow Birch....Holy Cow!!!
    I had 2 staves and 3 "boards" that I cut and milled a few years ago and just never got around to working till now. The 5 bows range from 48 inches to 59 inches with draw lengths from 25" to 29" and weights from 44# up to 56/57#. All the bows are rectangular section, bend through the handle bows. 1 bow is straight single curve (w/ flipped tips) the other 4 are 5curves with varying amounts of initial set-back and tip-flip.
     This wood is really something, and I dont know why it isn't used more often. There are 4 full draw pics, the bows on the rack (while building) and a chart from the numbers given by the Forest service. I included the regular bow woods they had listed for comparative purposes so you can see how the Birch compares head-to-head.
      I'm sorry there is no listing for Osage or Hop-Hornbeam as this list covers "economically important commercial woods" but there is enough to give you a good idea like I said.

Hope you find the info useful, and if any other pics needed please let me know.

NOTE: The only "problem" I have run into is the way the Birch accepts stains.
rich

[kleinpm]

Everyone of those bows are sweet!

Patrick

[bloodstone]

Its good to know that birch works as a decent bow wood. Its on my to try list b/c I don't like following the norm, there is a lot of yellow birch where I live, and i just really like birch trees.

Those are some really killer looking bows

[mwosborn]

Nice looking bows.  Never even knew there was a yellow birch - doesn't grow in my area to my knowledge.  We don't have the snow you have either!

[lesken2011]

I see you are still battling the snow, Rich. It sure doesn't look like it has slowed you down any. Those are some sweet bows, my friend. 

[Badly Bent]

Those look great Rich but ya know we want more pictures.

[half eye]

Fellas, thought I'd trow in a pic of the tree's bark, it's pretty easy to spot.

Thanks Ken,
B2, thanks and will shoot some more tomorrow
rich

[Josh B]

You been busy Rich!  You must be tougher than woodpecker lips to make all them fine bows after scooping all that snow!   I'm getting sore just looking at the pictures!  Lol!  I have to agree with Greg,  more pics would be cool!  Josh

[bubby]

Great bends as always rich, so how prevalent is yellow birch in your neck of the woods, bub

[lostarrow]

Vary similar to HHB .(first cousins ) It seems to be a lot harder from my experience. Difficult to dent ,even. If you can buy Birch lumber  at your local merchant, it's likely going to be Yellow Birch. Birch flooring, cabinets and plywood are almost always Yellow Birch as well.As always there is going to be variance within the species, but generally speaking ,it's damn tough stuff!


Great looking bows ,Rich! I know what you mean about the stain. In the furniture industry , it's usually  coloured with tinted spray lacquers and such. You could try dyes . I use the stuff from Lee Valley. Good stuff!

[Badly Bent]

I'm gonna be on the look out for some of those trees, I know I've seen some somewhere around here before. I look forward to seeing more pics of those bows Rich.

[tattoo dave]

Nice lookin bows Rich!! As is always the case What kind of issues are you having with the stains not taking? Is it real spotty? Some areas ending up darker than others? If that's the case, wipe it down with paint thinner right before you stain it. That depends on your type of stain though. If you are using primitive stains, that may not be compatible.

Tattoo Dave

[Pat B]

Nice bows as always, Rich.  We have yellow birch here but only at high elevation(5000' or so) but lots of black birch at lower elevations.

[Wiley]

Nice bends on all of them Rich.  I am continually impressed by your work. Don't see many birch around here but there are some along the creeks, no idea what species they are though.

[PatM]

Tremendous variation in this wood. I cut a promising one a number of years ago  dried it and then bent a slat as if floor tillering. It immediately chrysaled along the length.