Vine maple

[bushman]

I just cut down a stave of vine maple yesterday. Its about 2” across the base, 1.5” across the top and about 5’ long. It only has 3 branches on it, all with in the top foot and on the underside of the stave, 2 branches where dead and looked like ¼ holes in the stave since they just pulled out, the other one was alive and is a ¼ bump after I cut it off. I just read in TBB that it says to use the side that was facing the sky since vine maple like to bend as they grow and that the sky side is strong in tension. Well the bush that this stave came from was on the side of a steeper section of the mountain. So that the bush grew out then up making the underside of the stave, the side that would be facing down the mountain, in the classic D shape. The underside right now looks like it is under tension while the sky side looks like it is under compression. Which side would you recommend to use? The sky side as the back or the under side as the back? If I use the sky side the bow is going to look like a recurve with the limbs really curved back, is the sky side strong enough in tension to be able to take being pulled to full draw without lifting fibers? Would it need a backing of some kind? Has anyone ever tried to use Paper Birch bark as a backing material on any type of bow? What designed of a bow would you recommend for this stave that will be about 50# at 28”? I was thinking of something like a long bow but with the limbs as wide as the stave will let, then a bit heaver and skinner tips for the last 6 inches or so, think it will work? Thanks
Bushman

[Gordon]

When you split a log of tension wood like vine maple down the center, one side will begin pulling into reflex and the other side will remain unchanaged. The stave that pulls into reflex (the "sky" side usually) is what you want to use for your bow. No need to back vine maple as long as the back is unmarred - vine maple is very strong in tension. I would recommend a bend through the handle design based on your description.

[bushman]

Thanks Gordon,
Just to see how the wood was going to split I tried to split the top section that I cut off of the stave. It wanted to twist when I split it and it ran out rather then splitting down the middle. I think the stave is going to want to twist on me. Is there anything I can do to keep the stave from twisting on me and keep it splitting down the middle? Or should I let the stave dry out for a year or 2 then work the wood dry and shave it down to shape?
Bushman

[HoBow]

You can clamp it down while it dries.

[Gordon]

Bushman,

If the split wants to spiral, then you will have to use a bandsaw to open it up.

Gordon

[bushman]

Thanks for the info Gordon and jeffutley57.
Bushman