Cherry trees

[Mgydas]

I know that black cherry and chokecherry (which is very common here) both make decent bows.

My grandma needed an unknown cherry tree removed and being one not to turn down free wood I took care of it.  The fruit is lighter than most black cherries I have seen.  As I am not a botanist I have no idea what sub species this is...

I'm wondering if this could ptentially become bow wood or should I just use it in the smoker?

[halfseminole]

As an aside, what are you gonna do with the bark?  I use it a LOT for Chinese arrows.  It can be stripped around the trunk as it grows with a spiral grain instead of up and down.

If you haven't discarded it, PM me and we can work something out.

[PEARL DRUMS]

My personal opinion on cherry is that its no good for anything but in a smoker! Maybe in the center on a tri lam bow.

[Robertfishes]

I have a 2"x12"x10' figured cherry board I got as part of a "truck load" purchase I made last year..I am thinking I can cut it for veneers and riser blocks as long as I add a couple pieces of glass to the riser..

[Pat B]

What do the flowers look like? if you don't know, ask grandma. There are lots of cultivars of cherry and natural varieties.
Also does the bark wrap around the trunk like choke cherry or along the trunk like black cherry?

[Mgydas]

It wraps around like a chokecherry tree.  Also I understand cherry breaks easily, but since it's free I don't mind turning into smoker wood.

It's been a while since I've seen the flowers... Since the neighbor has one and I have to wait for the wood to cure so I'll have to get back on that one.

[canopyboy]

I'm a strong believer that air-dried black cherry can make awesome core wood in laminated bows, whether in a trilam or a glass bow. Not sure how chokecherry compares, from what I've read it should be similar.

I've tried messing with some cherry from the lumber yard, and it was very brittle. I'm thinking it has something to do with how they dried it and when they steam it to make the color more uniform. That's why I think air dried is the way to go for cherry. The stuff I've cut and dried doesn't break very easy at all. It's not hickory, but it's still tough.

[Bowjunkie]

I agree. Any black cherry I used was from trees I cut and dried myself. There was a learning curve, but it will make a fine bow if decrowned and backed with a hardwood better equipped to handle the tension forces on the back.

And as Canopyboy said, it is also an exceptional wood to use in glassbows and works well in the centers of trilams.

I always keep cherry around.

And yep, smoked a bunch of jerky with it last year, after marinading in a cherry cider and habenero cocktail.

[Wolftrail]

If you have not worked Hawethorn you should its just like cherry, a very sweet smell when you are shaving it down.

[Mgydas]

Hmmm never considered hawthorne.  It's going to be a while until the wood is dry, hopefully  the larger branches will be dry sooner than the rest.

Thanks for the heads up on the decrowning.