maple lam question

[Robertfishes]

I found some very highly figured curley maple that would look great under clear glass. When I asked if it was "hard maple" I was told it was not "hard maple". Is hard maple the only kind used for parallel laminations? When buying lams or riser blocks I often see it listed as "curly maple" not "curly hard maple". Thanks, Robert

[bjansen]

Robert, There are various types of maple with varing degrees of density.  When you see the phrases tiger, quilted, curly or birdseye types of maple..it is just refering to the type of figure in the wood.  I personally think any type of maple would do just fine as a lam within a glass bow.  I would go for it!

[sw]

I made a magyar horsebow using tiger (stripped curly figure) maple of what was referred to as a soft maple (not sugar maple AKA hardrock maple). The bow came out fine and had been shot for years by its owner.

Each maple has its own density, the softer (non sugar maple) is going to require a tad thicker laminate for the same weight. Should be fine to use....

Dave

[Robertfishes]

If I got some I was going to grind it down to .020 or .030 , stain/dye it and use it in a couple of bows as parallels over actionboo or red elm tapers.

[Jason Scott]

If you can barely make an impression mark with your fingernail it should work. I have made several core lams for glass bows from maple that is from the select hardwoods bin at a big box store like Lowes. I even found a nice quilted piece in there.

[Robertfishes]

Thanks, I'll try it out. I have a nice piece comming in the mail. I should be able to get 18-20 .030 lams out of it.

[mater]

I made a bow with soft maple and it was my favorite for a couple years. I still have it and its still ok. It did take a little set. When I set it on the form it was made on, it has moved maybe 1/2 at tips. But it still shoots fine.
     Mark