Author Topic: Ash Mollegabet grain questions, with pics!  (Read 2446 times)

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Offline Frode

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Ash Mollegabet grain questions, with pics!
« on: November 08, 2010, 09:37:47 pm »
Hi all,
I'm working on my first in ash, a Mollegabet-ish thing 77 3/4" tip to tip, 1 3/4" wide limbs.  If I can get it in between 40-45#@28" I'll be a happy camper.
This came from a nice, straight grained board, not quarter-sawn, but only 30-45 degrees from it, end to end.
In one of the pics you can see my new favorite tool, a small spoke shave.  This bow is significant for me, because other than some coarse filing to angle off one corner of the riser, all the work was done with shaving type tools, draw knife, block plane, and two spoke shaves.  My poor, lonely sureform may never get used again  :'( ;D.

My question;
In spite of the grain, there are a couple of small knot like areas, mid limb, of course, and a short section that looks like an internal check.  None of them go straight through the limb front to back, and one of them doesn't seem to come out anywhere at all.  Is this a problem for ash?  Working limbs are about 17" long, by the way.  I'll linen back it in a heart beat, if I have to, but it sure is a pretty piece of wood and I'd hate to hide it.

As always, your observations are greatly appreciated,
Frode

If it doesn't rap the lintel, it might not be a longbow.

Offline aznboi3644

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Re: Ash Mollegabet grain questions, with pics!
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2010, 11:06:23 pm »
77" seems excessively long for that.

i cant comment on the grain

Offline Frode

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Re: Ash Mollegabet grain questions, with pics!
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2010, 01:26:39 am »
77" seems excessively long for that.

 :D  It probably is, I was in a curious state of mind.  After seeing Rich do these really short,  I wondered what one would be like drawn out extra long.  I've got an 80"+ elm medieval/flat bow style on the horse, too, that I'm trying to figure out the mass principle with.  Guess I wont be trading for a Mini after all  :D.
Frode
If it doesn't rap the lintel, it might not be a longbow.