Ozbow

I am looking for a suitable timber to use in laminated bows once my stock of vertical bamboo is depleted.

Previously I have successfully used hard rock maple but I was looking for another alternative.

Has anyone used Australian white cypress for laminations?

Daryl.

Common Name(s): Australian Cypress, White Cypress Pine
Average Dried Weight: 41 lbs/ft3 (650 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .56, .65
Janka Hardness: 1,360 lbf (6,060 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 11,550 lbf/in2 (79.6 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 1,351,000 lbf/in2 (9.32 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,460 lbf/in2 (51.5 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 3.7%, Tangential: 4.9%, Volumetric: 8.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.3

Daryl, Queensland Silver Ash [Flindersia Bourjotiana] makes a very good bow. It is pretty much white in appearance. I made quite a lot of bows with it many years ago now.

Jeff

I've wondered the same thing. I looked into it a while ago and it compared closely to Osage from memory. You can pick it up cheap too. I plan on trying it. Not in a selfbow but in a laminatd bow.

Thank you for the replies.

A local timber merchant lists Flindersia schottiana as a stock item.

The nearest supplier I can find for Flindersia bourjotiana is in the Mooloolah Valley around three hours plus driving time round trip.

Distributed mainly in the rainforest areas of northern New South Wales, and southern and northern Queensland:

F. bourjotiana—Mt Fox (southwest of Ingham) to Cooktown.

F. schottiana—Northern New South Wales to Gladstone; areas of the Atherton Tableland.

I do not know if there is a significant difference between the species as there appears to be little information available.

Daryl.