First bow: a problem with the back

[randman]

The grain on the back looks fine enough. The problem is the grain on the side. Really bad runoff. IMHO no amount of trapping or backing with anything is going to save that one. You want the grain lines on all 4 sides to run reasonably straight down the board and this one isn't it.

[Pappy]

Good advice above,should work out,one thing to remember that will help you avoid this in the future is always file from back to belly,then if you do get a splinter it is on the belly,not near as much of a problem. Good luck.
 Pappy

[WillS]

Is this not exactly what people mean when they talk about selecting a board with straight grain?  I've drawn along the grain lines.



Or does the grain along the back not actually matter?  Shows what I know about board bows!

[burchett.donald]

  Flip it and make that the belly side...

[mikekeswick]

Hickory isn't indestructable. Flatsawn boards are much, much easier to read if you aren't sure you know what you're doing when selecting them.
If you really want to carry on with it i'd trap the back by about 1/4 on both edges and then back with thick rawhide.

[adb]

..and this is why I don't make many self board bows. It's very difficult to get good grain on a thick enough single piece of wood. Laminate board bows are the way to go IMHO. Plus, you get to optimise your chances of success by using tension strong backing wood, and compression strong belly wood.

[BOWMAN53]

i think everyone reads too much into grain orientation. with hickory, if the board is quarter sawn and the grain is fairly straight then you got a good board. run offs are inevitable, you cant taper the limbs without causing a hundred different run offs, its impossible. ive never paid attention to the  grain on the side of the board. ive yet to find a perfectly straight hickory board.
now with red oak, thats a different story, im way more picky. 

[jojo]

The grain on the back looks fine enough. The problem is the grain on the side. Really bad runoff. IMHO no amount of trapping or backing with anything is going to save that one. You want the grain lines on all 4 sides to run reasonably straight down the board and this one isn't it.

It does runoff there. Didn't see that before. I checked all edges and found that about every 20" one grain line runs off. The area you pointed out is by far the worst example and the rest of the bow runs much straighter. Not sure if that makes a difference or not. I imagine that splinter area may be the weakest point.

-jojo-

[Danzn Bar]

JoJo ... just give it a go and see what happens, doesn't take that long to fail or make a shooter......
DBar

[jojo]

Question

Not sure if I laid this out right, sorta made it up this method. I took my board that was about 6" wide and lightly traced a single straight grain line down the board with a pencil. I measured 66" along that traced grain line and drew to tick marks for the length. I then used a long straight edge and connected those to tick marks, drawing the straight center line darker than the lightly traced grain line. That grain line hugs that straight edge center line very close.

My goal was to have a few grain lines run the entire length of the board. Is that how you guys do it too or am I making this too hard?

-jojo-

[jojo]

JoJo ... just give it a go and see what happens, doesn't take that long to fail or make a shooter......
DBar

Totally agree. Already have it superglued and still researching trapping. I think an 1/8 inch would cover the splinter but I'm not exactly sure the best way to make it even all the way down to the tip. If anyone has links let me know, I wanna give it a good honest and educated try. I'll keep posting pics of my progress in case anyone is interested.

-jojo-

[BOWMAN53]

Question

Not sure if I laid this out right, sorta made it up this method. I took my board that was about 6" wide and lightly traced a single straight grain line down the board with a pencil. I measured 66" along that traced grain line and drew to tick marks for the length. I then used a long straight edge and connected those to tick marks, drawing the straight center line darker than the lightly traced grain line. That grain line hugs that straight edge center line very close.

My goal was to have a few grain lines run the entire length of the board. Is that how you guys do it too or am I making this too hard?

-jojo-

your making it hard on yourself. draw straight lines. you dont need to follow the grain with boards unless they are really wavy(which you shouldnt buy in the first place). if the rest of the board has straight grain like im seeing in the pictures then theres no need.