# maple for longbow?



## williamt (Oct 25, 2010)

I was doing some reading and thinking about building a longbow. I saw a build follow along on one site using red oak fron home depot and was wanting to know if the maple they carry would be a good choice to start with just to get my feet wet. I don't why I just liked the look of the maple and might use some oak in the riser. thanks


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## Dirty44Dan (Oct 25, 2010)

Yes, you can use maple, but be sure that you look at the edge of the board and select one that the grain stays parallel for the whole length of the board and doesn't run off.  If you can find one like that and make the bow at least 2" wide and at least 66" long, I think it will work.  You can glue any sort of other wood on it for a handle.  
Dan


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## williamt (Oct 26, 2010)

ok thanks


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## Bowyer29 (Oct 27, 2010)

If you find a piece of maple that is a little less than perfect, I may have a piece of hickory to glue to it. Backed with hickory you should be good to go. Let me know if you decide you want the hickory backing. All you have to do is glue it up.


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## williamt (Oct 28, 2010)

thanks that would be great. My son is 15 and bored he has never got into hunting with me but i asked him if he would like to do some woodworking with me in the evenings and he said yes. he is the youngest of 4 and the only one still at home and I am trying to find something to get him into. I hope to get him more interested this way . I love to wittle and have most of the simple hand tools already like hand saws rasps clamps such but no table or band saw that would come in handy for making backings so I thought we would start with fiber glass sheetrock tape. If anyone knows of a good board supplyer around Canton please let me know. thanks


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## NCHillbilly (Oct 28, 2010)

Maple makes a good bow if it's a good-grained board without grain runouts. And I would go with some thin rawhide or silk or linen cloth instead of drywall tape for a backing if you can't use wood. Just glue it on there with titebond.


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## williamt (Oct 28, 2010)

ok I will try that thanks


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## Bowyer29 (Oct 28, 2010)

Peachstate Lumber in Kennesaw.

www.peachstatelumber.com


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## bowyer (Oct 28, 2010)

A recent article in Primitive Archer described a procedure for making a "self-backed bow".  You cut a thin strip of wood from the wood you are working with and then glue it back on as backing. The glue line strengthens the wood , keeps it from breaking and makes an attractive bow. . I haven't tried this yet but it is an interesting concept.


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## williamt (Oct 29, 2010)

thank you for the web site that is pretty close by. The self backing sounds good esecialy if you wern't looking to have any color contrast in the bows finish. once I get a few things in line we are going to start one.


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## pine nut (Oct 29, 2010)

Not to hi-jack but to give a heads up.  I was at Suwanee Lumber Co a couple of weeks back and they had some of the prettiest hickory boards in their 50% off lumber that I've ever seen!  I got one board and have enough to make 8 kid's bows and three adult bows for $6.00 and change!  It was completely clear and the kid's bows are 58" by 1&1/8 "  and the adult bows are 1& 1/2 " by 72".  I asked why it wa sinthe 50% off rack outside and the guy said because they had no room inside for it!  It might be worth the drive for a nice board!   Lots of good tries in a single board for 6 bucks.


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## JSOG (Oct 29, 2010)

I had a friend that gave me all three Bowyers Bibles, I sped read em, and went out to the yard, grabbed the first board off the stack with no knots, and made one. Mostly with the table saw, and a low angle block plane.
It was a flat bow,Torges style, it was BIASED grained..... and out of a yaller pine floor joist.
Dang thing was fast, accurrate,an lived for three years.
Id say make your first FIVE out of pine, expectin to break all five, THEN make one out of a "real wood"

The key here, is biased grain. According to some I,ve talked to, all the production bows in the "old Days" tended towrd biased grain, to key failure levels down.

Go to the Bowyers edge site (deans), and copy his work.
My issue with hickory is it gets wet and weak in MY woods.

(I cant get into self bows, cuz I got Vlad, but dont let that stop yuns)


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## mossyjaw (Oct 31, 2010)

*Bow making*

Hi: Go on the web and look up Osage Orange,it is also called "mock orange" these things are as big as a grapefruit,non ediable,green in color and rough skin.The tree is in the same family as the Mulberry tree.The article explains about bow making with this wood. Good hunting.i've wanted to try making a bow,but at 70yrs i'm not sure,bsk making, wood turning and sticking what moves in the thicket. Mossyjaw .


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## williamt (Nov 1, 2010)

cool thanks for all the sugestions I think I have a line on a good used bandsaw I would like to get one before we start. Does osage orange grow around north ga.?


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## mossyjaw (Nov 4, 2010)

*Osage orange ?*

I'll ckeck back in my wood books,i think it's from the areas of Tenn.or Oklahoma.I'm in the SE corner of N.C.,Rocky Point,N.C. and the trees near my home were brought here from the mid west years ago as saplings for her sister-in-law,if she was still living she'd be about 100 yrs.I will chk where they're native too.The two trees that were @ the river near my home were shredded with a trac-hoe prior to knowing of the value of the wood,(sick)cry:


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## johnweaver (Nov 5, 2010)

The best  place to find Mock Orange used to be on fence lines.  Then the county decided to help everyone out by cutting all of the fence lines twice a year


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## LAMADMAN (Nov 7, 2010)

I just got a longbow made from Oregon maple with a bamboo core and glass back. I will try to post a picture. Good luck with your project.


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## williamt (Nov 8, 2010)

thanks that is a awsome looking bow.


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