Suitable core and tip woods?
Hi, I am currently searching for some suitable wood for cores. Whilst I was out searching I got to thinking if sycamore (acer pseudoplatanus) would be suitable for use as core wood. I have been everywhere I can think of looking for acer saccharum and have only found two trees, one with no useable wood in it and the other in a place where I can't really cut it down. I also read in Adam book about cherry being suitable for 50lb bows, there are lots of cherry trees here mostly prunus avium. Firstly I am aiming for a 70-80lbs bow - would cherry be ok for this weight and is Adam talking about prunus avium specifically?
I was also wondering what woods are best for the tips in a 5 piece core? Presumably a low specific gravity hardwood - I'm thinking ash would be a good candidate due to it being fairly light and easy to steam bend.
I was also wondering what woods are best for the tips in a 5 piece core? Presumably a low specific gravity hardwood - I'm thinking ash would be a good candidate due to it being fairly light and easy to steam bend.
i like how you wrote "can't REALLY cut it down"
I see many people using the ash wood for ears of their bow but I really think it is not good. Ash has a very porous early wood and I would think the way nocks are cut into these type of bow it can be in danger of splitting between rings.
I would suggest elm wood, it has density similar to ash, red elm may be lighter. Though, the wood has interlocking grain unlike ash and is tougher to split. Also it is traditionally used in Chinese bow for ear.
Though I must say, it really matter on grain orientation. If rings are perpendicular to back, then it is less likely to split. Even elm is known to split between rings when used in core in parallel alignment. Elm is just tougher in perpendicular alignment than ash wood that is why I prefer.
I would suggest elm wood, it has density similar to ash, red elm may be lighter. Though, the wood has interlocking grain unlike ash and is tougher to split. Also it is traditionally used in Chinese bow for ear.
Though I must say, it really matter on grain orientation. If rings are perpendicular to back, then it is less likely to split. Even elm is known to split between rings when used in core in parallel alignment. Elm is just tougher in perpendicular alignment than ash wood that is why I prefer.
I prefer above all naturally grown siyahs of cherry, blackthorn, hawthorn,euonymus........there are a lot of siyahs out there.
No need to bend them with heat or steam. Never came across any delamination of the growthrings.
Michael
No need to bend them with heat or steam. Never came across any delamination of the growthrings.
Michael
Radius - guess you know the score eh?!
Alex - yes I know what you mean with ash, I suppose it isn't worth risking it. I have plenty of elm so may experiment.
Redhawk - I can see the logic behind using a naturally curved section of wood for the tips. All the failures i've had when bending core woods have been around the tips bend (3 piece cores). So if using a 5 piece core with tips spliced in then there is no problem and only one real bend to accomplish. I have access to cherry and hawthorn, but isn't hawthorn too heavy? All the hawthorn i've seen here is very dense.
Alex - yes I know what you mean with ash, I suppose it isn't worth risking it. I have plenty of elm so may experiment.
Redhawk - I can see the logic behind using a naturally curved section of wood for the tips. All the failures i've had when bending core woods have been around the tips bend (3 piece cores). So if using a 5 piece core with tips spliced in then there is no problem and only one real bend to accomplish. I have access to cherry and hawthorn, but isn't hawthorn too heavy? All the hawthorn i've seen here is very dense.
Hawthorn is dense and heavy, so you?ve to do very small siyahs. Make some trials, hawthorn- siyahs are looking such great and elegant. Same with euonymus, polished euonymus looks like bone or antler.
Michael
Michael
Thanks for the info, I think i'll go and look for a suitable piece today.