wood for mollegabet?

[Echatham]

i did a little light reading today, and think i want to try a mollegabet in the not to distant future.  the original was elm... but thats kinda scarce around here....  so... hickory, red or white oak, hornbeam?   whats a good canditate i can find growing in Connecticut?

[Pat B]

Any of the woods you mentioned should work fine for a Molly. Ash or hackberry too.

[TimBoA]

Look up "Mollegabet and Osage Question" on the Bowyer's Bench for some super cool looking bows...not exactly what you are asking about, but I think you will get some good ideas from that thread.

[PEARL DRUMS]

HHB is a tough customer for any style bow. Great wood.

[scars]

I would like to see a HHB molly

[LittleBen]

Tons of HHB at my parents place but I cant find a straight section to save my life.

[Echatham]

i got a little bit of HHB around... but none bigger than 4" diameter or so... have alot of american hornbeam and theres one nice one i stumbled on thats nice and straight and about 6" diameter.

[scars]

American hornbeams other name is American iron wood. Go for it.

[Echatham]

I think i just got sold on osage.... Black mockingbird's work is amazing!

[Roy from Pa]

He does ok, wouldn't call it amazing though...  

[Echatham]

Roy it looks like he makes a better bow out of one piece of wood than you can make with three  

[PEARL DRUMS]

Glue boy Roy!

HHB at 4" round is the best size to cut. It is very strong ni tension, the high crowned back aids the belly. I prefer sapling myself. 2-3" max.

[Black Mockingbird]

Ola boys    

I've made oodles of "lever" bows from countless species of wood...all work well if designed right for the certain species used...I actually prefer lower crowned wood to help reduce the strain because a closer to rectangular cross section promotes the least strain,and spreads the stresses out...and sapling sized trees don't work so well if you are making a shorter working section limb that needs to be say over 2" wide(you won't have enough width due to the high crown)...now if you go longer and less ratio of lever to working limb then a smaller diameter tree can work well,and done in more of a holmgaard style...I've done this as well with saplings that will make an outstanding bow...I guess I would need to know exactly what kind of lever bow you wanted to make? If it has a longer lever and shorter working limbs and overall bow I'd go with osage hands down...although I've made shorty lever bows with whitewood,its also a higher risk in doing so IMHO...

Oh and thanks for the compliments..  

[Echatham]

love the two you made with the dead osage tree.  thats kind of the design i want to do... but with less character!  not ready to tackle something like that.  based on most everything i have learned, you should NOT have been able to build a bow out of that wood  

[Roy from Pa]

My bows will shoot rings around his molly wolly bows:)  

[Art B]

Osage is a very elastic wood. Ergo, you'll get a little more bend in the levers then with whitewoods. Best to either heat treat this area good to prevent that, or reflex slightly to compensate. Just my experience.........Art

[Black Mockingbird]

We'll jus talk around the ole senile man            

 
 http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,36338.0/nowap.html


.

[Roy from Pa]

You calling Ole Art senile? LOL

[Art B]

That's alright Roy, I'll forget that remark by tomorrow     !

Now that's a bow we can all hand our hat(s) on Chris    ! I'm jealous, and envious of such talent  :p  !

[Black Mockingbird]

Oops...sorry Roy...that's a typo..next time I'll say mEn and make that plural            

Gee ..thanks Art