HHB in FIBERGLASS CONSTRUCTION

[stickmonkey]

Hops hornbeam is a very strong and top quality white wood used for self bows, however I have never seen any lamination offered for use in fiberglass bow construction. Has anyone ever seen it offered or know how it preforms in the above application?

[dutchwarbow]

maybe it's use isn't widely spread because there are many wilder looking woods around  

it might look cool to temper a lam, then grind it and put it under glass. Tempered whitewoods look real good imo.

Nick

[Diamondback59]

i know some of the fastest self bow s in exstistance are hop horn beam  no reason why it wouldnt work i think  you could even dye the pieces to ur liking  and it make some rocket launchers    brock

[lockon]

Is HHB what my dad always called "ironwood"? He and my granddad used to make hammer handles, axe handles, and yes, wedges out of the stuff. Never found anything in the books called ironwood. Just wondering if any of you knew.

[rainman]

Ironwood is the local name for a lot of hardwoods.  Eastern Hop Hornbeam doe's not grow in Texas to my knowledge.

Semper Fi,
Dan

[stickmonkey]

Yes it is call Ironwood, eastern hops-hornbeam, and American hops-hornbeam. All three name refer to the same species of tree.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrya_virginiana  

 I live in north Louisiana and have an abundance of mature HHB om my land. The soil comp for the upper portions is conducive for growing this tree and may be the same in east Texas too. I am not far from east Texas and it seems most of our woods are of the same species.

Think I will harvest some and cut laminations from it. We will see what we will see anywho    Since the wood lent itself to making quality selfbows I wonder how it will preform in a glass bow?

[Dean Marlow]

stickmonkey I don't build glass bows but I do fool with all wood bows. Your HopHornbeam or  Ironwood makes smokin selfbows. One of the top bow woods out there. If you got several logs split one of them out and make a selfbow. I promise you won't be sorry. Dean

[stickmonkey]

You are right about the HHB being a good self bow material.I have made my best selfbows from them but have found a new passion in the glass bows.

 The thing is I have an 80 acre plot with a sizable number of the HHB but only a few hickory so time to start selecting which ones to harvest.

once they are dry and milled I will cut some lams and see how they stack up,no pun there lol, against other favorites.