Maple board follow-along -- finished photos and full draw pic page 4.

[Julian]

I've got a nice slab of sugar maple that I picked up, it was pricey but the only real bow wood that I've managed to get access to so far. I've roughed out a bendy handle, wide, flat limb bow. I want to maximise my chances of success here, but still come out with something pretty.

I could back it with linen, but the grain looks really good to me (it runs the whole length of the board) so I was wondering if it would be ok on its own. The board comes from one edge of a flat sawn slab, so it's effectively quarter sawn.

Here's some photos, let me know what you think?

[Badger]

   You won't need a backing but make sure you round off the corners on the back. I have made tons of maple board bows and they make great bows. One of my favorite board bow woods.

[Julian]

   You won't need a backing but make sure you round off the corners on the back. I have made tons of maple board bows and they make great bows. One of my favorite board bow woods.

Fantastic

How large a round-over would you do, 5mm? 1cm?

[Badger]

   Just a pea size round over would be good,

[NonBacked]

Nice looking piece of wood – lots of potential. Could you take a picture of the side-profile (thickness) – especially in the handle area?

[Julian]

I just got out and made some shavings.

It's taking a long time for me to floor tiller the bow. feels like 100# at the moment and I've taken off what seems like heaps.

I'm having an issue with my spokeshave chattering on the maple, so I'm taking a very light depth of cut and skewing the tool. Any other advice on this? seems a shame to move to my rasp, the cutting tools leave such a nice glossy finish.

Nice looking piece of wood – lots of potential. Could you take a picture of the side-profile (thickness) – especially in the handle area?

[barebo]

I love Maple also, and your board looks like a gem. I have a draw knife that is razor sharp and I keep it that way for making shavings fine as a strand of hair. My other draw knives are used for removing material and smoothing after rough out with the rasp.

I turn my knife around backwards and angle it towards me about 5 to 10 degrees from 90 degrees. As it's extremely sharp, you can control the amount of material removed by adjusting downward pressure. If I used the knife as designed - as a cutting or serious wood removal, it would want to try to cut a limb deeply.  Sometimes going in the opposite direction cures the chatter as well.

Using the knife backwards eliminates planes, cabinet scrapers, shaves, etc. Rasp, knife, and sand paper. All I have and use.

[Hawkdancer]

Seems like you are getting there!  I'm at about the same level with my hickory stave.  Think of all the nifty fire starting tinder we'll have !  Floor tillering that stave is a challenge.  Keep posting pics!  I hope to get to take some today.
Hawkdancer

[Springbuck]

Looks good to me.  I've never had a maple board that good.  Be super careful to keep the thickness even side to side, too, one of the sneaky problems that seems to arise with board staves.

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks good. Enjoy.
Jawge

[Julian]

Got the bow to low brace this-afternoon. Nice sunny day for it.




looks good to me, any insights from those more experienced?

[bubby]

Just keep at it, not much of a pic if ya want tiller advice

[Julian]

Made quite a bit of progress. Lots of weight had to come out of the limbs before I got to full brace. Feel like I'm pulling target weight at around 20-22" now.

Excuse my messy space, I'm working in my apartment living room with a sheet down at the moment, for lack of a workshop or light outside.

Here's full brace


Side Profile


Front profile




Hope that's enough to get some advice on any trouble spots to deal with before I get it to full draw. Taking an acceptable level of set, I didn't reflex it at all.

The string alignment was a little iffy at low brace, but its fixed itself at full brace, somehow. Should I worry about that? You can see in the pictures, that the not-quite-straightness of the bow is a little exaggerated. I messed it up roughing out.

[JWMALONE]

Nice work so far, I'm no expert but you will need to post a pic of the draw so far for any one to help.

[Springbuck]

It's always hard to help with tiller from pics, but take your time.  Look at where the bow is taking set.  Asymmetrical set means something.  Excessive set in one spot means something.  Keep pulling it only as far as the draw weight, etc....

Looks good strung, so good so far. Boards don't try to deceive you like staves sometimes do.