saw or split

[Crash]

Just cut my first tree, I think it's white ash, and I was wondering if there's a huge benefit to splitting over using my table saw to rip it down in half? It's 3-4 inches in diameter

[El Destructo]

Ash split easily...and when you split...it follows the Linear Grain...if You Kerf...or Saw Cut...you violate these Grains...don't Cut....Split It....JMO

[yazoo]

split never saw or kerf  mike

[sailordad]

i agree with the Mike's

always split your staves,never ever saw them
grain violation is pretty much a guarantee bad bow break
linear grain must be maintained to prevent runoffs

[osage outlaw]

I always split mine.  Using a circular saw on logs could be dangerous. 

[George Tsoukalas]

No circular saws. They are made for dimension lumber. I do split my staves. I don't own a bow grade bandsaw. Hatchets build character. You can bandsaw or split it. But if you saw it  pay very close attention to the longitudinal grain where a split stave kind of follows it natural like. I've made bows from sawed staves. I just draw that center line following the grain. I do that even with split staves. Jawge

[Crash]

So split it is. That brings up a question though. If you don't saw it so that you can maintain linear grain integrity, how does tillering affect the grain?

[Hillbilly]

Tillering doesn't affect the end-to end grain. If you saw a straight stave out of a crooked log, it's violated. A log can be straight on the outside, but have snaky or twisted grain inside, too. I always split staves. The stave can be crooked as a petrified corkscrew, but if the grain isn't violated, you can usually correct it enough with heat to get everything in line.

[crooketarrow]

      I split all of my wood.I've heard the only wood you can saw is elm.

[aznboi3644]

      I split all of my wood.I've heard the only wood you can saw is elm.

I guess every board bow is wrong than

[sailordad]

      I split all of my wood.I've heard the only wood you can saw is elm.

I guess every board bow is wrong than

nope,same goes with boards
you dont want runoffs,which is nothing more than linear grain

[aznboi3644]

I understand...but seeing a twisted grain from a straight tree that was sawed is not easy.  Seeing the grain line from the early wood/late wood lines is easy though...atleast for me lol

[Del the cat]

I agree with the others, especially with species which split easilly... BUT...
I'm making an exception for some Yew I cut recently as I don't want to run the risk of the split running out the side and good Yew is a precious commodity.
I used a bandsaw to get 4 staves out of my 5" log, there is still penty of room to follow the grain as the corners get taken off the quarters. The second log may yield 3 staves if cut carefully.
I must admit I feel happier spliting 'em, but more than once I've ended up with fewer staves than I might have had with a saw, and it hasn't been because the grain wasn't suitable.
Del

[Pappy]

I split most of mine but like Del I do make exceptions on some wood and if it is small and straight
I will use my bandsaw,never a table saw,been there done that, not again. The wood you have should be easy to split.
   Pappy

[George Tsoukalas]

Once again if the stave is band sawed draw line down the middle following the longitudinal grain. Then, measure half the width you want on either side of that line. That way you have followed the longitudinal grain. It really is no big deal to use a sawed stave. Jawge