Fruit woods

[Sharkbone]

Hi All, I have been reading the forums for a while now and have learned alot from all the wisdom on this site. I am wondering if fruit wood is any good for bow making, as I just took down some plum trees and will be taking out some cherry soon. So far I have only made a few bows, so I am still learning. It will be awhile before this wood is dry enough to use so I would like to know is it any good for limbs, risers, both or should I use it for something else.

Thanks
Joe

[Shaun]

Apple family very good, pear & wild plumb good. Cherry, domestic plumb, peach and others not suited for self bows. They might be used under glass for veneers.

[mater]

I once made one with cherry veneers with good results. Id use something else for core.

[Living_waters]

Black cherry makes a good self bow, you just have to plan your design to suit.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Take that wood while it's green and mill it down to even sized material that is a 1/2" thicker than you want to end up with and 3 to 6" longer, and paint the ends... then stack it flat with stickers letting the air flow though it. it's even better to keep a fan on it until you get down to 20% MC... How you take care of it right now, until it reaches 20% is critical.fruit wood is good stuff, but you can loose it real easy if you don't get it air dried correctly.... Plumb wood is beautiful stuff, but it checks and splits real bad if uncared for.

[Living_waters]

I Have yet to have a successful piece of plum. Have not tried putting a fan on it. Whether a stave or 2x2 turning blocks for a call it always checks sometimes 6 months after it was stored to dry.
One of the TBB stated that most all fruit wood will make a decent bow.

[Sharkbone]

Thanks for all the great advise. I will hopefully get time this weekend to mill the wood up. I'm guessing the use of the fan is to bring the MC down faster. Would it be better to store in a warm enviroment or outside in the shed. I guess what I want to know is it better to try and dry it out quick or is slow drying going to be better.

Thanks
Joe

[Sixby]

we used to cure wood a year or two in slightly damp sawdust. It helps that kind of wood to not split by allowing the moisture to come out very slowly. The first yew staves i did that way. I still have a bow I built out of that 41 years ago.
after the wood is cured out then there is enough moisture out of it to keep it from checking so bad when you dry it out.

God bless you , Steve

[Boise Bear]

Sharkbone:

Wild Plum does make a good bow, but it does check easily if not cured up right.  Some guys look for wild plum that has been cut back because it almost explodes with workable staves after about 3 years of re-growth.  I also use wild plum to make beautiful arrows.  Good luck!

[PEARL DRUMS]

A plum selfbow won bow of the month a little while back on PA, not sure of the variety.  You should stick a stave or two to the side and let it season nicely and give it a go. I would If I had some anyway!

[Pat B]

I've seen some incredable plum bows. Some plum has purple wood and looks great as a bow.

[Boise Bear]

Almost every arrow I have ever made from wild plum has purple and reddish colors swirling through it.  Its really beautiful stuff.  I've also seen a few wild plum bows where the guy kept the natural bark on as backing, which really look sort of cool, too.  Good luck!