Today I saw our maintenance crew chopping down a dead tree with a reciprocating saw and just had to laugh a little and go out and talk to them.
I asked them if they had any other trees they were going to take down and they told me the maple outside my door. I told them I would supply a chainsaw if I could take the section of tree I wanted. I now get the bottom 8' and they get to dispose of the rest.
Is this acceptable stick bow making wood and if so what do I need to do once it is cut down???
(http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee465/buckskinbows/D13CD6E5-2CAB-4148-8185-F356AAE7AEFE-3304-0000046B51FA7CAA.jpg)
(http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee465/buckskinbows/79555286-40D2-4061-AEE2-9B4FF03CF6C0-3304-0000046B59F1FEDE.jpg)
Looks like a nice one to me... Good and straight. The bark kinda looks like some of our Hackberry around here.
Cut, split, and seal. Don't leave it outside because there's alot of sugar in maple and you'll get rot.
Get to choppin :bigsmyl:
Sooo... The plan is to cut down the tree on Monday. I believe this to be a silver maple.
Once I chop it down, how many sections should I attempt to split it into? It is about a 5-6" diameter.
I hear you all say sometimes that the bark needs to be removed ? Is the case for me?
And what do I need to seal it up with ? Do I just need to do the ends or the entire thing?
I am going to try do find my Bowyers Bibles tonight , any sudgestions on where to start reading ?
Is silver maple a good bow wood? I have one on the front lawn that's looking rather unhealthy... ;)
Dave.
Id leave it alone...its a soft maple...unless you want a really longbow or make lowpoundage bows for women n children.