Black Cherry selfbow?

[dinorocks]

My friend and I split up a blown-down black cherry (~16" diameter) into a bunch of staves.  I have read  only a little about using cherry...some say it is good, others say not so good...figured we would give it a try.  

If possible, can you pass on your experience if you have used this type of wood for selfbows?

After the staves season, should I use the sapwood or the heartwood for the bow back?

How should the design differ from a typical osage bow...wider, longer, etc?

Does the bow need to be backed?

Thanks for your help!

Dino

[tah-gah-jute]

i recently got a black cherry stave.have never used that wood before.was told by person i got stave from.you can use either heartwood or sapwood for back,but most prefer to leave thin layer of sapwood for back and that it does need to be backed.

[Pat B]

I have made a few cherry bows. Made them long (68") ans wide (2")at the fades and out half way them taper to 31/2" tips. You can reduce the tip width later. They shot OK but nothing special. These bows were whitewood from right under the bark. I didn't use and other backing with these. If your back ring is clean and the stave is sound, you shouldn't need a backing.

[dinorocks]

Thanks Pat.  

The cherry tree has about 1-2 inches of white (sapwood) below the bark...should I remove most of the sapwood leaving a thin (how thin) layer of sapwood?  

When we split the log a couple of the splits went through the sapwood, hit the heart wood, and followed the sapwood/heartwood contact.  Is this typical...should I be worried that the bow will split along this contact?  I also observed lots of sap seeping out all around this contact while looking at the end of the log.  Should we have cut this tree in the winter or maybe waited until summer (for future reference)?

If we make a bow without using sapwood (heartwood back) will it hold up or should it be backed?

Can the wood be force-dried...i.e. heat box?

We have about 30 staves so I guess we can experiment.

Sorry for all the questions but I'm having trouble finding detailed info using cherry.  I'm new to making bows...only a few osage and hickory.  

Thanks for guidance in advance,
Dino

[Pat B]

Cherries have thick sapwood. I always used the wood under the bark for the back but you can remove all but a few sapwood rings as the back and have heartwood for the belly. Because the tree was blown over, there may be tension breaks or separations that are showing themselves as you split the tree. With lots of sap oozing tells me the tree had damage before it came down, unless it came down a while ago. The sap is a natural sealer the tree uses to protect damage.
   Cherry heartwood is pretty strong in tension and should not need a backing but that will depend on the stave.
  You can quick dry it but you may want to let it rest for a bit first before putting it in the hot box. Take a stave down to floor tiller stage and put it in dry environment for a few weeks first before the hot box. When you remove the sapwood or even leaving a few sapwood layers, seal the back.
  I prefer to cut whitewood(I consider Cherry a whitewood as far as for bows)during the growing season so the bark will slip. It really doesn't matter when you cut any wood but there are times that are best for certain woods.
  If there is a good quantity of sap, save it. You can dilute it id alcohol and make varnish with it. I use pine pitch varnish to seal primitive arrows and sinew wraps. The cherry will do the same.

[Roy Steele]

I've built bows by leaveinng a little sap wood on for backing and with out.Both worked fine.
  But its a light white wood.So a little longer and a little wider limb works best.But if tiller right you can go a little shorter and thiner limbs.