Ottawa Bows from Feb/March Issue

[bushman]

I found the article on Building Authentic Ottawa Bows in Primitive Archer February/March Issue very interesting. I tried to write Rich Rousseau on here but I was unable to send him an email. Are you still on this forum Rich? I was wondering what the seasoning process of smoking the bow with deer fat actually does to the wood? From the article I was wondering how the growth rings are orientated to the belly or back of the bow. I took it as they are at right angles to the belly or back of the bow, is that right? I didn’t think the fibers would withstand that type of stress if that is how the grain is runin in the bow. If the growth rings are at right angles to the belly or back of the bow does it only work with certain types of wood?

[half eye]

Bushman,
       I'm still here, my email is     rousseau.rd@att.net    it's on my bio (not hidden). In the artical I was splitting out the "board" but it could just easy be sawed out in which case you have "fully quartersawn" boards (that is growth rings 80 to 90 degrees ot the back and belly)
       I have made bows in this manner including: Black Walnut, White Oak, Red Oak, White Ash, Black Ash, Red Elm (slippery), Grey Elm, Hard Maple, and some others and have no problems because of species of wood. Ther only difference's is that the Oaks, and Maple's make a slightly heavier bow for the draw weight and Elm's make the lightest bow for the draw weight. The bow I just posted "Jay Sam" is made from Black Ash and weighs 7 ounces even, pulling 45# at 26" (Jays personal prefferences) and the war arrows (hardwood) weigh 3/4 ounce and the bow launches them with very good authortiy.
      I think (only a guess) that with growth rings oriented "back to belly" what your in effect doing is trying to bend an I beam on it's strongest axis....the bows come out with little mass, high out-put and seem to very stable....they are also very quiet (at least up to 75# (that is as heavy as I have made one)
      I usually cut the "stick" out by orienting a 2" X 6' piece of steel on the board to get the grain running dead center down the bow limbs (not necessary for the bow, but the grain looks real nice like that) The only thing to be carefull of is this....by being fully quarter sawn if the wood relieves stress it will be side ways as apposed to reflex/ deflex profiles....but there is a plus to that as well in that you can actually plan for that and have the bow stick come out with a "center-shot" string line (not exactly but real close.

sorry you couldn't get ahold of me....been working with a bunch of fella's from this site and would be glad to help with any questions you may have....you now have my email if you send a message I will give you my TX # as well.....glad to help if I can.
half eye

[bushman]

Can’t figure out why it wouldn’t let me send you any email on here the other day. Maybe my computer wasn’t workin right, that wouldn’t surprise me. That makes senses what you said about tryin to bend an I beam on it’s strongest axis. I thought that the fibers might not withstand that much stress and that it might start to “pull apart”. I’ll have to give that a try when I get some more time on my hands, and wood. I was wondering what the seasoning process of smoking the bow with deer fat actually does to the wood?
Bushman

[Jude]

It's surprising that 1/4 sawn Maple bows come out heavier for their draw weight.  Being diffuse-porous, I would think that ring orientation would make less of a difference than with the ring-porous woods.  I seem to recall somewhere in TBB4 it was stated that going with 1/4 sawn makes a ring-porous wood act like a diffuse-porous wood of the same specific gravity.  When you think about it, arrows from split stock are generally stiffer in the direction of the growth ring orientation, so it stands to reason that 1/4 sawn bow limbs would be stiffer too.  Just started rambling, time to go

[half eye]

Jude,
      The trees in my area are mostly all tight ringed (realy close growth rings) because of the harsh growing conditions. The Oaks (red & white) and the maples (hard) are particularly close grained (more dense) so if I make two identical bows ....say one of red or grey elm and one of the denser wood the more dense wood will be heavier in mass weight........having said that if the bows are made to have the same draw weight (performance not shape) then the more dense wood will be narrower and thinner and so they would weigh nearly the same.
     Sorry, I didn't explain it better the first time. One other thing I have noticed is that you get equally good performing bows from tight rings as medium rings and in some ways you get more "forgiveness" from the more open rings....I don't know why, it is just how it worked out in my experiences so far.
rich

[Traxx]

I wanna bring this Back up and thank Half eye for his contribution to the site and mag.This is what PA is all about.It brings back memories of the old days on PA.Im really enjoying it.

[rileyconcrete]

I am with you Traxx.  I would like to thank Rich also.  He really inspires alot of us on this site.  I have learned alot from him, and he has really helped me out.

Thanks again Rich,

we all appreciate what you do on this site.

Tell

[KenH]

Here, here!  Half-eye is a Good Old Boy in the best sense of the phrase, and an inspiration to us all!

[n2huntn]

I peronally owe a big thank you to Rich for all the phone calls lately and help with mycurrent obsession. I'm liking the quarter sawn deal and learning to do things another way.
Thanks rich
Jeff

[rileyconcrete]

This thread turned into a Thanks you Rich thread.   Rich deserves it.  He is the kindest, nicest man I have met in a long time.   I hope he reads this and see how much we all appreciate him for his help and insight on our bows.

Thanks

Tell

[half eye]

      Thanks for all the compliments....but really it's enough to make the old guy blush...jeeze. I'm happy to help anybody I can it's my pleasure to be amoungst you all not the other way 'round.
half eye

[chasing crow]

I also want to thank you for a great article. I definitely want to try an Ottawa bow in the near future. Thanks for the education.
Chasing Crow