white ash

[abrig005]

Im new to bow making. I want to try making one from kiln dried white ash I can purchase locally.
I would like to find my own wood etc. But dont have time right now and don't want to wait for it to age.
Can I buy the white ash and cut into 2"x2"x7' blanks and start shaping? Do you think I would have good results
with this (obviously it depends how good I shape it). Thanks!

[DarkSoul]

White ash is very decent bow wood. Easy to find, pretty easy to work with and easy to read the grain on. Pretty cheap as well.
Yes, you can go buy a board and turn it into a bow! 2"x2"x6' is a good size. Bare minumum would be 1½" x ¾" x 68"  but ash likes to be wide and flat. If you can resaw the blank from a bigger board, I would aim for 2"x1½"x6' blanks.
It is absolutely crucial that you select the board yourself, and not rely on someone else to pick the board for you. You MUST select wood which is straight grained on all sides. The growth rings must run parallel to the sides of the board on all four surfaces. Expect 95% of the boards you see at a lumberyard to not be suitable. The number one beginners mistake is to try to make a bow from a piece of wood that is not straight grained. If the ash is not straight grained, look at the elm, (white) oak, maple and hickory as well.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Id leave it 2 x 2. That way you don't have to glue another handle section on. Leave it one piece. Like DS said, grain, grain, grain. If its not straight tip to tip, leave it and find another. Its NOT good practice working junk wood. 

[abrig005]

Thank you very much!!!!

[abrig005]

My photos aren't uploading can I email you guys the four sides of the white ash I picked up from the lumber yard?

[Crogacht]

Email them to me and I'll post them here for you 

My email address is in my forum profile if you click on my name

[DarkSoul]

Upload the pictures onto www.tinypic.com
and then post the link that looks like [ IMG]www.tinpic.com/wefbh23rt50.jpg[ /IMG] into the message here.
(The Primitive archer forum has too many weird size restrictions that allow only post stamp sized pictures.)

[Marc St Louis]

Upload the pictures onto www.tinypic.com
and then post the link that looks like [ IMG]www.tinpic.com/wefbh23rt50.jpg[ /IMG] into the message here.
(The Primitive archer forum has too many weird size restrictions that allow only post stamp sized pictures.)

That's not quite true

[abrig005]

Here is the piece...each side. Thanks!!!

[DarkSoul]

It looks pretty reasonable, but not perfect. How long is that board? I hope it may be longer than 6' so you've got some length to spare.


Here's an area where a knot was nearby, causing the grain to make a sudden swirl. This area has severe grain run off. You don't want this portion to become a bending section in the bow. Perhaps you could place is near the tip? In the stiff handle would be the other option, but that looks to be not possible. If you place this section in he midlimb of the bow, it WILL break there. However, the bow has a good chance to survive if you back the wood. You could for instance cut off a 1/8" thick slat from the other side of the board, which is straight grained. You could use that as a backing for the left side of the board, to protect that grain run out.

Here's another area of concern:

This is very near the end of the board, though. It has too many rings running out over a short distance, but it is luckily near the end of the board. You can probably cut off a few inches here, and the remaining grain run offs will be placed in the stiff tips, which is not such a big deal. Next time, try to avoid such areas all together, but especially such an area in the midlimb would be detrimental.

[abrig005]

Thank you very much for your assessment.
The board dimensions are 5" x 2" x 96"
I made a square in the image below as to where I think I should begin the process of roughing the bow out.
Thanks again for your help!!!!!!!!