Starting another one...

[dueb]

Nice looking nocks 

[huisme]

I like padauk overlays on locust, good contrast and it hasn't failed me yet.

[Onebowonder]

I only use Padauk in an overlay as a middle Lam or stripe these days.  I've had issues with it being too brittle and inclined to crush vs. harder woods.  ...but the pieces I've used have been random off cuts I collected from the floor of my Luthier friend's shop!  ...they may not have been first rate bits of the wood.

OneBow

[PEARL DRUMS]

Grain is very important on most overlay woods, regardless of their hardness.

[Danzn Bar]

Chris,
Are you saying that applying the overlay with the end grain perpendicular to the bow back for soft wood overlay material?   I have never paid much attention to it with hard wood overlay material.  What is the best orientation of the grain for overlays?
DBar

[soy]

Grain is very important on most overlay woods, regardless of their hardness.

X2.....looking great BTW. 

[Gaust]

OneBow, like you, my main complaint with paduak is that it can sometimes be brittle. I have to be careful using a file on it, especially cross grain (my shinto's fine side does better).  It's hard enough to saw, but it sure doesn't like fine edges. Thought about coating it with super glue to harden the surface after fine sanding it.  I've got more of it but I'll be looking at some other hardwoods.

DBar, grain should be perpendicular or somewhat.  I haven't been paying that much attention to it and I haven't had any problems yet either.

Thanks, soy, dueb.
G.

[Gaust]

Still on the long tillering string.  Using only my scraper now and I think I got all the flat spots out at this point. Still a little on the heavy side but not by much.  My recurves are reducing a bit, more one side than the other.  I think the toasting on that one is holding up better.  That one will be on bottom limb.  Short string is next.
G.

[randman]

The excitement builds.....Looks a tiny bit stiff just out of the right fade.....time for a short string. Looking good...

[Gaust]

Randman, thanks, but this project is about to slow down right now.  Got daughters, husbands, granddaughter, and dog coming in for Thanksgiving holidays starting tomorrow.  Don't know when I'll get back to tillering this stave, 'cause this next week will be busy.   I've made it this far with this piece of wood, don't want to screw it up by not giving it my undivided attention, if you know what I mean. 
George

[Gaust]

I've had it on the short string for a while now, about a 3" brace.  Been scraping it down, checking the weight and evenness of the limbs, and exercising it.   Here it is at 20".  How's it look so far?  Any comments welcomed.
George

[Pat B]

Back up the right limb from the curve looks a little stiff.

[Gaust]

PatB, yeah, I see that.  Thanks. 
G.

[Gaust]

Scraped it some more at that stiff area and it looks better now.  Going to shorten the string a couple of inches so I can check where I am on the draw weight.  It's developed a slight deflex so I'm watching that.  Scraping has taken a lot of the initial toasting color off.  It's now at 1 1/2" wide off the fades to about mid-limb.
I don't want to reduce the width anymore.  Kinda like where it's at.  Any adjustments to weight will have to come off the belly. 
G.

[SLIMBOB]

Were it me, and I had scraped off the all the temper color, I would fix the deflex as I retempered.