To split or not to split, that is the question!

[ionicmuffin]

i have here an ironwood stave sent to me for xmas trade.  The total length on the back of the stave is 4.5 inches so if i split it down the middle i should get 2 staves with about 2+ inches per. the grain is perfectly strait and the thickness is about 1.5 inches. First off, can i split it and get two hunting weight bows? (assuming i dont mess up) second, what are the properties associated with this wood? high compression strength or tension? what are some ideal designs that the wood dictates it likes? How does it take to heat treating? reflexing? anything else you can think of that the wood normally displays?

[Pat B]

Do you feel lucky? 

[sleek]

I can solve that problem for you. I have a bandsaw and I rip osage and other woods in half all the time. Perfectly down the middle every time. Just pay shipping to tulsa and back and soon as I get it, I will be sending you two ironwood staves back the very next day. May eve throw something else in there to go with it....

[ionicmuffin]

Thanks for the offer sleek, i do happen to have a bandsaw at my disposal, splitting i was under the impression, would follow the grain, and thus, would keep the grain from running off. in any case, i dont really want to pay shipping, however, i may just do that. my bandsaw at the moment is just a cheap little 140$ one. And on top of that, it is having major issues, so right now i dont think it would be ripped in under 15 mins with mine.(probably more like 30-45 mins) If i do send it out, ill send it out in a few weeks. i dont have the money atm to ship it.

[JW_Halverson]

Do you feel lucky? 

Well...?  Do ya, punk?


Man, I loved those dirty Harry lines!  It's pretty tempting to get greedy, but with that high of a crown, you may end up with narrower dimensions than you think.  Just sayin'.  But I feel you.  I would want two, too.*

-John

*But not a tutu.

[ionicmuffin]

you might be right on this one JW, i still think its got space. Ive heard that the tension side of HHB is very elasticy, so could have a higher crown and not a problem? I do feel lucky, ok, maybe i just feel confident that it will provide two  looks a lot like my hackberry thats about the same width. Thats part of the reason why i wanted to know the attributes of the wood

[JW_Halverson]

Draw out the cross section you hope to achieve at the fade outs on the narrow end of the stave.  That should tell you what can hope for.

[ionicmuffin]

Alright, ill see what it looks like 

[JW_Halverson]

If you are worried about screwing it up or not, send it to me and I'll screw it up for you.

[ionicmuffin]

Oh of that im sure 

[osage outlaw]

I would try to split it.  On smaller pieces like that I have started in the center of the stave with a hatchet and hammered it into the stave starting the split towards both ends.  I split one of these HHB pieces into 2 staves with this method.  I was able to get 2 bows out of it.  I'm saving the other half for a rainy day.

[Newindian]

you could use a pocket knife or something more narrow then you'd have more control

[Holten101]

One rule of thumb that has served me well......if in doubt, then dont! This goes for splitting and when to stop using the hatchet especially;-)

Cheers

[soy]

Split er but be aware sometimes greed will leave you with nothing

[dwardo]

Too nice a stave to split and risk ruining it. I have a wych elm that similar and after lots of ummin and arrin I just went for one bow. I was surprised how little wood i removed before i got to the width i wanted. The crown can be very deceiving.