Cottonwood for Veneers (updated with pic)

[4 point]

 Has anyone used cottonwood as a limb veneer? I would never have thought of it but a guy that builds saddles here uses it for the saddle trees. Some of it has some really nice curl in it. It really looks really good when he wets it with fiberglass. Curious if there is a reason its not used or people just don't care for the looks of it. 

[monterey]

It's probably one of those things that needs to be tried to make a call on it.  I'm sure someone has done it somewhere sometime.

You might get additional Clues by looking it up in the Wood Database.  My own thoughts on it are that it is quite brittle.  it probably would not be a good choice for an all wood bow but the rules are not always the same under a glass!

Whether or not you should try it is really just your call.  If you do it I'll be curious to know how it goes.

[C. Johnson]

I think anything will work as a thin veneer.  I would try it if I had a highly figured piece I thought was attractive.

[Crittergetter]

Cottonwood can make a beautiful veneer!! I have been waiting on a contact of mine to get me some cottonwood Burl for quite a while now. This reminds me, I need to call him and see how it’s coming along!

[kennym]

I'd try veneers if they looked good .  Thinner the better as it isn't too strong me thinks.

[4 point]

Thanks guys, I didn't think there was any reason it wouldn't work, just had never seen it used. I'll have him keep an eye out for a nice piece. I think it would look good with some walnut.

[Tim Finley]

It will work. I have thought of it before but never tied it because its just some white wood. I burn a lot in our wood stove its very hard to split, probably stronger than a lot of woods used for lams such as walnut , doug fir, and others . I think it will make lams also but I don't know how it would shoot .

[4 point]

Tim, I always thought of it as a plain looking wood too till I saw some of the pieces that were going into his saddles and getting covered up with leather. I'll post some pics if I can get ahold of some nice stuff. Guy might have to go thru a lot of it to find nice stuff but he goes thru a lot and he'll pick out the figured stuff for me.

[KenH]

Cottonwood is just "another" poplar not strong in any bowery sense.  As a thin veneer under clear glass it should work just fine.

[Crooked Stic]

Grind it down to.025 or .030 you will be fine. as long as its dry.

[Tim Finley]

Yew wood is not strong either, nor is cedar, walnut, Russian Olive etc. but they still make good bows . Ive made bows with Doug Fir lams and they shot as good as anything .

[Roy from Pa]

Yep, I've made some pretty snappy trilams with yew core lams.

And have used cedar core lams also.

[4 point]

I stopped today and searched thru the guys pile of cottonwood and found what looks to be a nice piece. Its kiln dried 6.5" x 3.5" x 40". I sanded a spot and wet it for the pic.

[Crooked Stic]

That will look good under clear.

[kennym]

SWEET !!!

[Tim Finley]

That's nice I got to pay closer attention when I'm cutting fire wood !