Time to chase a ring

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

How long should i expect it toto taketo chase the ring on a black locust stave for the first time? As its the only real seasoned stave i have

[bjrogg]

I've never done a black locust. If I recall correctly, I've heard the wood gets very hard after it cures a few years.

Chasing a ring takes a bit of getting used to. Is the bark removed? Is it close to one ring exposed? If not that's a pretty big job for a beginner in itself. If it is try to figure out which end has ring exposed closest to where you want to be. It's always a pain in the butt when you get almost to the other end of the stave and you have to drop down a ring and go back the other way. Don't rush. Take your time and clean up your ring as you go. I like to use my draw knife to get close on Osage I can usually hear that crunchy early wood . I leave a little of it and use my cabinet scrapper to clean it up to my chosen ring. Don't jump around from one place to another. It's a sure fire way to get on two different rings. At knots I like to follow the ring around the knot and then when I'm sure I've got it all right come back and finish the knot.

Don't rush did I say that you shouldn't rush. Just try to relax and concentrate on staying on the same ring. If you decide your done for the day and the ring chasing isn't, put a coat of shellac on the ring you have exposed to prevent drying checks. If you finish chasing the ring put on two coats of shellac to prevent drying checks. If you have some scraps you could practice on them. If you violate your chosen ring consider it practice. You could continue to the end practicing and then go down another ring and try it over. If I'm not mistaken Black Locusts has some pretty thick rings. That should help to keep from violating them.

Good luck
Bjrogg

[George Tsoukalas]

Good post by BJ. Remember that BL functions best with a heartwood ring. Jawge

[Pat B]

I always found BL similar to osage as far as chasing rings with a similar crunchy early ring. BJ makes good points. When I come to a knot or pin knot I circle it with a pencil and come back later to be sure I don't violate the rings around it. Knots and pins have a raised area around them that you don't want to cut through but it's easy to do if you are not paying attention.
 I like to start at the end and remove the first 6" or so then once that's clean move on the the next 6" until I get to the middle then go to the other end and repeat. Take it down one ring at a time so you are sure you are on the same ring working from both ends.
Also, if you find yourself getting angry, anxious or just down right pissed off put it all down and walk away until later. It will still be there when you are in a better frame of mind.

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

Im going to start tonight  for a bit,  im happy that its a small with stave

[bradsmith2010]

as long as it takes,, thats how bow making is

[bownarra]

Until you know what you are doing chase the ring ABOVE the one you want for the back. Once you made the beginner mistakes chasing the ring above from end to end you will have a much better feel of what you are doing and you also only have a single ring to remove and finesse your way to the one you actually want.
How long will it take? How long is a piece of string?

[Badger]

 Most of the time on knots you can circle them as said above then come back on the last ring and just get under the island and cleanly lift it off.

[Stick Bender]

I find good lighting is a plus when chasing a ring osage or BL I use those Harbor frieght clip on lights when you get the right light angle the ring pops off like a neon sign ,I actually find chasing a ring a relaxing job !

[SLIMBOB]

Chasing a ring is therapeutic. Bark and sapwood not so much, but it comes with the territory.

[bjrogg]

I find good lighting is a plus when chasing a ring osage or BL I use those Harbor frieght clip on lights when you get the right light angle the ring pops off like a neon sign ,I actually find chasing a ring a relaxing job !

Totally agree. You don't want to be chasing a ring in a poorly lighted area.
Bjrogg

[Stick Bender]

Here is a tool that saves a lot of time removing bark & sap wood , George T ,turned me on to it a few years back & it saves a lot of time for that purpose ! Swedish Push knife !

[SLIMBOB]

I don't have one of those, but I used one once.  It does make much quicker work of the doneage.

[Stick Bender]

I had a lot of split osage staves from a haul I procesed and I put a 1/2 " blade on my band saw and cut the bark & sap wood  off too ,not primitive but works good on limited time also have used vertical oscillating belt sander to knock rings above where I want using 50 grit paper , the lazy man way 

[SLIMBOB]

Now we are back to "I love to chase a ring".  Some of the Osage and others I have worked, the bark and sap wood came off pretty easy.  On others it was like chipping away at a cement slab.  The bark and sap wood broke off in chunks.  I will say that those tended to be really good bows in most cases, so a price well worth paying. Still, once you are down to the hard wood, and you have exposed the tiniest part of the ring your after right at the edge of the stave...Running the draw knife is almost an unconscious thing from that point on.  Zen and the Art of Ring Chasing.