Walnut Questions

[Snake River Stickbow]

Hello everyone!
I've got a few staves from a Black Walnut and I was wondering if anyone wanted to offer up some advice on getting a good bow out of this wood. I'm not looking for a heavy draw bow, just a nice shooter or turkey chasing bow (say around 45# draw at 26").
The satves are almost entirely light exterior wood with only a small amount of the dark heart wood. It was a smaller tree.
They are plenty long and I should be able to get 2" wide limbs for at least half the length of the limbs.
I have made several board bows from Maple and Oak and I have made two selfbows from Mulberry.
I think I've got some dimensions in mind that should produce my target weight. But I am most curious about opinions on backing this bow. I've used linen and cherry bark as backings so far. Is Walnut a fair candidate for a selfbow?
I've been very impressed by the knowledge of the members on this site, I know I will continue to learn something eveytime I read a thread.

[timbermoose]

i've got a few waiting in the shop for me, but i will be backing them with bamboo from a local supplier, just got to get up to them to get it. i'll probably be using smooth-on for the glue just because i've got plenty on hand. my bud has one he got a couple years ago that is 68" 80@30. 2" of backset glued into it that it has retained. 1 3/4" at fades to 14" from tip and tapered to 3/8" with cow horn nocks. i'm going to be shooting for 65-70@29.

[soy]

First off , welcome!
Be prepared for Set , and over build a touch.I have used raw hide and linen as backing and have used nothing as well....Bw makes a very enjoyable shooting bow but it is picky and if the belly is not FLAT it will crystal....enjoy  

[Dan Landis]

I just cut two today, sounds pretty much the same as you described.  When mine are dry, I'll start with a 2 width to mid limb or so, then taper to 1/2" nocks, and around 68" long.  Unless the back has issues, there should be no reason to back it, unless you want to build a bamboo backed bow like Timbermoose is planning to do.

[Pat B]

What Soy said!

[Snake River Stickbow]

Thanks for the replies guys. How about decrowning a stave? Has anyone had cause to give that a shot? If so, how'd it work out?
I'm asking because there are a ton of smaller Walnut trees in this area that are available.
I'm looking forward to experimenting and learning a thing or two.

[soy]

I have scene 1 outstanding decrowned sapling walnut bow... smoking fast and beautiful as the day is long...  

[Pat B]

I've never Decrowned a stave and really see no reason to do so unless you plan on backing it.
 Walnut will make a good bow but it has a tendency to fret if you don't tiller well. Be sure the belly is flat.
  I've made BW bows with all sapwood(right under the bark)and hickory backed heartwood. On a few backed bows I've made the BW fretted and I ground it down and added a compression strong belly like osage.

[soy]

Sent you a link...let me know if it works for ya  

[Ice Mike]

In my experience, which is not very substantial, walnut does not do well in compression or tension, but it is a tad stronger in tension. It can be worked into a great bow if you're extremely careful and it can't be matched in my opinion for beauty for native American wood. It makes a great core wood for tri-lams or glass bows, and pops really well as a veneer under clear glass, especially when you do a contrasting color veneer on the opposite side.

[Jack Skinner]

I have built one BW so far. I backed with 1/8 hickory. It is a touch overbuilt as soy suggested. It has fretted some on one limb at mid limb. But has gotten no worse and I have shot it quite a bit. Most who know me say its my fasted self bow to date. It is a great shooter lite in the hand, fast for an overbuilt bow and easy on the hand shock. I am not a big fan of all the gluing and what not I did on this bow, but I will be trying some more BW bows in the future.

[EHK]

If you've never worked with it before, be careful with the dust.  Found out the hard way that I'm sensitive to it and apparently, that's pretty common.  Wound up on an inhaler for a couple of weeks after building a laminated bow and doing the finish sanding without a mask.

[Snake River Stickbow]

Thanks a bunch for the replies and advice guys. I appreciate it!