Hickory (Wattle?)

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Buckler
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Hickory (Wattle?)

#1 Post by Buckler » Sat Feb 02, 2013 6:48 pm

Hi guys,
After a little research I thought id ask on here. The Hickory Wattle Acacia Implexa is it sutable for bows? (particularly backing)
I assume the English and American ones is different??

Please share any information on this timber or Hickory in general.

Thanks guys

+Simon

little arrows
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#2 Post by little arrows » Sat Feb 02, 2013 7:55 pm

Hi,

Reading from the Woods In Australia by Keith R Bootle - Acacia implexa (common name Lightwood) small to medium hardwood of scattered occurence in coastal and tableland areas of Eastern Australia.
I am not going to type the whole lot - suffice to say - texture is medium and even. Grain usually straight - Easy to dry shrinkage about 2 per cent radial and 4 per cent tangiel. Glues Well. Has good resistance to shock. Used for handles, turnery. Not a commercial timber.
There is no mechanical properties listed as it is no commerial available.

I do know some bowyers who have used Hickory pick handles, there are a different species of timber than the one you have asked about.

cheers
sue

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bigbob
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#3 Post by bigbob » Sat Feb 02, 2013 8:02 pm

I think Implexa would be suitable. I am using a fair bit of acacia Oxymelanoxylin or something like that, commonly called black wattle [ as is many other acacias] although my use is only as riser material and belly veneers on glass bows. I am impressed with its qualities.
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little arrows
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#4 Post by little arrows » Sat Feb 02, 2013 8:29 pm

ooow ooow, on further reading through the book I mentioned, I have found Acacia penninervis Sieb. exDC. common name Hickory Wattle

1. In NSW it occurs on the coast, the southern tablelands and the western slopes. Also found in Victoria. Shrinkage 1.5 per cent radial, 4 per centre tangential.
It does not list uses and does not mention if it is commercial available.

It would appear you have 2 different Acacia species in your question.

All as clear as mud really. :biggrin:

cheers
sue

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clinton miller
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#5 Post by clinton miller » Sat Feb 02, 2013 8:37 pm

yeah it grows around here. i have made a light draw weight selfbow with it. i have several other staves too.
tends to have alot of sap wood upto 3/4". the stuff here is either implexa or melonoxylon
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yeoman
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#6 Post by yeoman » Sun Feb 03, 2013 5:03 am

The hickory wattle we have here is a very different species to the hickory of the northern hemisphere. Maybe even a different taxon, never mind species.

I would take a couple of hints though: if it's used for handles (I assume hammer or axe or the like) then it can obviously withstand a great deal of stress. If it has 'hickory' in the name it may have attracted that description from its similarity to the northern hemisphere variety.

So I'd give it a go.

There was a wattle that grew near my house when I was a kid that regularly grew with a flat face on one or more sides. So a 3" tree might have a flat side up to 1.5" wide. Perfect!

Can't get it now though.

Dave
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Buckler
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#7 Post by Buckler » Wed Feb 06, 2013 6:05 pm

Has anyone used Hickory in Bow building?
If so what for (Backing, lams, core, the whole bow)?
What type, and what is the take on it (good, bad ...)?

Thankyou all for the helpful info thus far!

+Simon

Hamish
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#8 Post by Hamish » Thu Feb 07, 2013 5:30 pm

I have seen a bow made from hickory wattle. It had wide limbs and followed the string a bit, but it didn't have any chrysals, light blackwood can give you.
I use hickory USA for backing strips. Top stuff for that job, easier to prepare than bamboo, virtually unbreakable if you get a pretty straight grained piece.
Solid hickory has a reputation for giving a lot of stringfollow, unless very dry or given heat tempering.
I have seen it used on the bellies of bamboo backed bows, in USA. I guess the wood was well dried and the reflex was glued into it. They shot world record wood bow distance shots, (Dan perry) so a good bow can be made from the stuff.
Hamish.

Buckler
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#9 Post by Buckler » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:43 am

Hi Hamish, thanks for your response.
Where do you source the US Hickory from?
Would it be the same/similar to what the English use?

Its good to know about it for backing, this is what id like to try to use it for.

Cheers

+Simon

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Gilly
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#10 Post by Gilly » Wed Feb 13, 2013 8:53 pm

My new bow (see pic in my thread about it) is made of hickory i believe its called gum nut hickory, the bow is a trilam with a strip of Blackwood ( I think) for contrast. It's 44lb at 26 inches and is fast and quiet. Looks like a success to me!

Sorry its pignut hickory!

Keith Lee
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#11 Post by Keith Lee » Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:05 am

I,ve got some arrows made from it good for that.

Hamish
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#12 Post by Hamish » Sun Feb 17, 2013 10:01 am

I haven't bought any recently but Monaro timbers, near Canberra used to stock some. Its not cheap, and was only available in large planks. Otto and Co, in SA also sell some. You will need access to decent quality table or bandsaws and planers to prepare it.
US hickory is the same stuff the English bowyers use to back longbows.
You might also try US websites, that sell billet length ready prepared backings, they will require splicing at the handle, but can come through the mail. Full length backings would need to come in via courier.
Hamish.

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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#13 Post by Hamish » Sun Feb 17, 2013 10:03 am

While I think about it. Krugers in QLD, a tool handle Co, will sell you straight grained hickory handle blanks. They can be sliced up into billet length backings.

job
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#14 Post by job » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:57 pm

Buckler wrote:Hi Hamish, thanks for your response.
Where do you source the US Hickory from?
Would it be the same/similar to what the English use?

Its good to know about it for backing, this is what id like to try to use it for.

Cheers

+Simon
As far as I know Hickory does not grow in the UK. Any their bowyers use would be imported from the States. The English eqivalent would be Ash, which has great bending properties but is not as tough as Hickory. Ash bows were some of the secondary whitewoods used by the English military when they could not get yew. Not as good as Wych Elm though.

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yeoman
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#15 Post by yeoman » Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:57 pm

Actually, I'd say Elm is the closer wood to hickory...for bow making. Both timbers are supremely strong in tension, and have been used extensively for backings. In the early parts of last century, Elm was oft used as a bow backing before it was realised how to make good selfbows from white wood.
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job
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Re: Hickory (Wattle?)

#16 Post by job » Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:17 am

yeoman wrote:Actually, I'd say Elm is the closer wood to hickory...for bow making. Both timbers are supremely strong in tension, and have been used extensively for backings. In the early parts of last century, Elm was oft used as a bow backing before it was realised how to make good selfbows from white wood.
The Welsh, where the English longbow/warbow tradition is generally thought to have come from, were using Wych Elm selfbows a thousand years ago and more. There is still a strong Wych Elm following in N.Europe. I've seen a vid of a 200+ lber being pulled, I think by a Norwegian? The Welsh apparently made their bows with the bark left on the backing. There are still bowyers in the UK who rate Wych very highly. They heat the belly to get extra compression and speed. Cymru am byth.

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