Author Topic: thin versus thick rings on osage (Read 2578 times)

luke the drifter · « **on:** June 07, 2010, 12:13:24 am »

i have been working on a stave of osage orange that from what i gather from my weak eyes has about 15 rings per inch. will this be problematic when i get to the tillering stage? before i go any further i am looking for the pros and cons of thin versus thick rings. any thoughts? $:-\$

luke the drifter

Pat B · « **Reply #1 on:** June 07, 2010, 12:56:11 am »

Luke, being from an area that is lacking in natural osage I use any osage I can get my hands on, no matter if they be thick or thin ringed. I have made some very nice bows with ultra thin ringed osage. As long as you can get a good clean back ring there is no problem but generally with osage you also get pin knots, regular knots, swirly grain, etc. I generally opt for a rawhide backing for thin ringed osage.
I have used some physically, heavy thin ringed osage that made great bows. I made a very nice osage ELB with a few sapwood rings on the back(rawhide backed) and it had over 20 rpi. Rings of 1/8" to 3/16" are ideal and 1/4" rings are great(if the early/late ratio is right) but for me, what I get is what I use.

HoBow · « **Reply #2 on:** June 07, 2010, 01:14:29 am »

I've heard the argument that thick ringed osage is sluggish, but never noticed it personally...

Pappy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2010, 08:25:44 am »

I like either,but do what Pat said.I really prefer thinner ringed Osage but for no real reason except I prefer it.

As long as the ratio between winter and spring growth is good I have had no real problems.Pictures would help.

Pappy

Dean Marlow · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2010, 08:30:28 am »

Luke I am working on a osage bow with thin rings like yours. As long as you have not violated the back ring and it is half way clean of pins and knots you should be o.k. You could always put a backing on it if wanted.

acker · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2010, 06:50:45 pm »

If you would like to build a 67" bow with reflex tips and a draw weight from around 35 -40# out of this Osage would you back it ?

I say , if the back is clean it shouldn't be a problem.

What do you think ?

Thanks acker

gstoneberg · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2010, 09:12:39 pm »

Luke,

My last bow was a takedown. Each limb came from a different tree (also from a different state). The Nebraska limb has nice thick rings and the Texas limb had extremely thin rings. They both came out about the same thickness and work well together. Thin rings are more challenging to chase, but so far I've never had a piece of osage that wouldn't make a bow because of ring thickness. Tillering isn't any different with either type of ring. I say go for it with your tight ring'd stave.

Acker,

Not only would those make a bow of any draw weight you want at 67", you could split at least that one in half and get 2 bows of that draw weight. I don't back osage bows unless there's some reason to (nasty knots, bad checking, insect damage, violated growth ring, excessively short, etc).

Good luck to both of you.

George

Pat B · « **Reply #7 on:** December 05, 2010, 11:56:10 pm »

Like George said, unless there are issues there is no reason to back osage...no matter how heavy it is.

Pappy · « **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2010, 06:53:39 am »

Nether of them or what I would call a tight ringed Osage ,I like the ratio between late and early better on the stave on the left but other than that they should both be fine.

Pappy

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2010, 11:38:47 am »

I can generally follow 1/16 in thick staves so I go to a ring that is that thick minimum. If I feel the ring is that thin I leave the bow a little wider to distribute the stresses better. I hate to back anything.
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
Jawge

acker · « **Reply #10 on:** December 06, 2010, 03:35:11 pm »

Thanks for you input .

acker

Primitive Archer