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Author Topic: Black locust as a laminate?  (Read 2410 times)

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Offline huisme

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  • I'm Marc, but not that Marc.
Black locust as a laminate?
« on: December 28, 2014, 07:55:21 pm »
If you haven't noticed laminates haven't been high on my to-do list, but I'm wondering if anyone's tried black locust as a back or belly? I know it's actually pretty strong in compression despite being prone to chrysals, but where it really shines is tension and overall stiffness.

So what's the deal?
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Black locust as a laminate?
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2014, 07:57:47 pm »
Locust would probably make a great backing but I think I'd want a chased ring as the back.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Gordon

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Re: Black locust as a laminate?
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2014, 08:35:56 pm »
I handled a boo backed black locust bow made by master bowyer John Strunk. It was a stunning piece of work.
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Gordon

Offline wizardgoat

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Re: Black locust as a laminate?
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2014, 09:59:28 pm »
I have piece of black locust that's 2 growth rings. I have a bunch of yew lumber that's been staring at me in the corner. I'm planning to do a short BL backed yew bow, I'd like to try spliced in siyahs. In my mind it will be a cool bow, but who knows!
Laminates don't really interest me either, but these yew boards need to be bows.
my bow bucket list is pretty long, so I might as well get these out the way!
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Offline huisme

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  • I'm Marc, but not that Marc.
Re: Black locust as a laminate?
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2014, 12:14:42 am »
Well now you know you gotta post pics, right? 'Cause you gotta. I'm looking at yew and ipe boards, and since I've only done a couple lams I'd love an example.
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline Springbuck

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Re: Black locust as a laminate?
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2014, 04:17:00 pm »
  Have done BL with both hickory and bamboo backs.  I once bought a huge plank of it off ebay for very little and made at least 5 BBBL and HBBL recurves from it: large recurves, lots of deflex.  Nice shooters.

  So, the key is the stiffness of BL.   It is so stiff that, even backed, making a nice wide limb with a thin backing helps. a lot.  It just ISN'T osage or bulletwood, so it needs to be thinner, hence wider, or longer.

  I am in the camp with Baker concerning backings that says NARROWER is better than THINNER for backings, but with BL, in order to avoid frets on the belly, the total limb thickness on a 68" X 1.75" wide bow is only barely nudging toward 1/2".  So, you really should trap the backing and make sure the belly lam is still 2/3 of the total.
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