Wood ramrods

[WadePatton]

So i'm cuttin' all these tops up for firewood, nearly all oak at this location...and then a piece of _not_ oak goes on the splitter, i thought it was elm as the bark was gone...but when it started wadding and tearing, i knew that i'd lopped off some sweetgum.  It was from the pond cleanout.  So now I have some pieces of sweetgum to play with.    i get the impression that it may be too bendy. 

the hunt for Ostrya virginiana continues-and now that i've seen the hops-like flower, I KNOW there's some in these woods as i've seen that before.

plus i'm going to bust out a bunch of hickory and osage as well. 

[Tim Hamblen]

Wade, we have a good amount of hophornbeam on our farm. In several years I have not seen the "hops" on any of them. Don't know why. It's easier to look for the bark. Once you spy one they are very easy to find. Another trick I learned while making bows with it is to see if the bark "spirals" as it goes up the tree. If so the grain will be spiral too. Look for bark running up fairly straight.

[Daryl]

 American Hornbeam and Hophornbeam are both included under the moniker of Ironwoods.  I've never seen the flowers or hops, but we did have a lot of ironwood back in Ontario.  Tough to break when green, it should make good ramrods or bows if designed correctly.

[WadePatton]

hey thanks for the hoplessness note.  i've more motivation now, so i'll figger it out.  just found my pawpaw patch last year... 

[elilongknife]

I have hickory rods w/8/32 brass tips installed, that have been soaking in linseed oil/kerosene for over 20 years. Mostly 3/8ths w/some 5/16ths; 40" long. $15.00 plus shipping.
Elilongknife@aol.com

[Hungry Horse]

Eli;

  This is the first time I've heard of soaking ramrods since the old Buckskin Report days. We soak ours ( straight Hickory) in boiled linseed oil, and turpentine, for about a month. They are much more flexible than unsoaked rods.
 I quit using a "range" rod because it trains you to do all the things you shouldn't do with a wooden rod. When concentrating on your target, your repetitive memory will just take over, and you you will be gripping the rod too high, making too long a stroke, and not paying attention to how far to one side or the other you are bending the rod. This is all a formula for a rod sticking out of your paw.

                    Hungry Horse

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

HH you and I agree on that.  I always use the rod I built for the rifle.  I do not note undue wear at the muzzle and don't break rods, even with .005" undersized balls and .020 + patches.

[Keb]

I've made rods out of hedge, ash & hickory. I've made them from broom handles, shovel handles and post hole digger handles, some as long as 6 foot. Osage is by far  the best ram rod material I've come across.

[zambezi]

There was someone on here selling rods a while back - Taylor bought a bunch - the ones I got were excellent - took a bit of sanding and slightly undersize, but nice whippy rods. Working one down from a larger size is easy with Tom's rod-shaver.

Where do you get Tom's rod-shaver?

[WadePatton]

There was someone on here selling rods a while back - Taylor bought a bunch - the ones I got were excellent - took a bit of sanding and slightly undersize, but nice whippy rods. Working one down from a larger size is easy with Tom's rod-shaver.

Where do you get Tom's rod-shaver?

I think that reference is to Tom a/k/a Acer Saccharum ...hold that thought.

Here is: http://thosmachine.wordpress.com/

or you make one, or make it square and cut the corners and make it round.  Great fun on a long winter night.

[zambezi]

Thanks very much for the information.

[WadePatton]

Going direct to the source.     (Pignut Hickory)

[Dan'l 1946]

  Looks like you're gonna need a bigger axe! 
                                                       Dan

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

TNT!!

[James]

Wade, I will offer the suggestion to find hickory trees in the 6-8" diameter range as the amount of sapwood is so much greater. I realize many non-sapwood rods are made and sold, however, when making your own you will end up with a significantly more flexible rod if it is made from hickory sapwood.

[WadePatton]

No big deal splitting that hickory out.  It's much straighter/clearer than the one I've already split out.  I saved this from the burn/firewood/rot pile.  It's a non-marketable log "extra". 

Certainly not cost-efficient (timewise) but I like the result of my work with shorter pieces. Plus, zero shipping costs.

Can't get the local with the Ironwood to let me come get it or see it yet.  I'll cut some of that when i learn to identify it. 

Bodock is the next one I'll be trying, but I have to go down to the flatlands to find it.