how to follow the grain

[Deerhunter21]

I have a stave that I am working on right now and there was a spot on the side where it was split from the log where there was some wood pulling away. It was causing some problems so i took it off but now I cant follow the grain from the side like I was planning on doing.  I really want this bow to turn out well so i dont want any grain violations. so, how do you follow the grain??

[Deerhunter21]

oh yeah, its osage too

[SLIMBOB]

I’m not following you. Are you talking about the edge of the bow?  Some times the fibers separate, or get pulled apart when the stave is split. Is that what you are talking about? 

[Deerhunter21]

yes. im chasing a ring on it.

[DC]

Can't you run a drawknife down the side to smooth it out so you can see the grain again? If I'm following you?

[SLIMBOB]

If I am right about this, you have lateral fibers, along the edge of the limb that have separated. If so you will have cracks running off the edge. A real problem. Do as DC suggested and work the edge until you get past the splits.

[Weylin]

can you show us a picture of the problem area? That will take a lot of the guess work out for us.

[bradsmith2010]

Yes photos please

[George Tsoukalas]

After you chase to your ring, look at stave closely and you can see the grain running tip to tip. Draw a pencil line down the middle following it. Set up your width by measuring on either side appropriately.

You must do this with osage.

Check my site.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/layout.html

Jawge

[Dances with squirrels]

You don't follow grain from the side. You follow grain from above... while looking down onto the bow's back... the side facing away from the archer while shooting.

Growth rings can be seen on the side of a stave.

Grain, and growth rings are two very different and distinguished things.

[Gregoryv]

I am new to this, but when you say “side you were planning on doing”. Do you mean chasing a ring?  You can only chase a ring on the top of the stave and that becomes the back of your bow.  The sides then will be reduced until you establish your width profile.  Does this help or am I misunderstanding?
Greg

[Deerhunter21]

yeah ill get pictures. its from when the stave was split.

[Deerhunter21]

untill i get pics heres what i could draw up.

the red is what i took off

[Deerhunter21]

You don't follow grain from the side. You follow grain from above... while looking down onto the bow's back... the side facing away from the archer while shooting.

Growth rings can be seen on the side of a stave.

Grain, and growth rings are two very different and distinguished things.

yes i know  im looking from the back

[Deerhunter21]

I am new to this, but when you say “side you were planning on doing”. Do you mean chasing a ring?  You can only chase a ring on the top of the stave and that becomes the back of your bow.  The sides then will be reduced until you establish your width profile.  Does this help or am I misunderstanding?
Greg

I ment to say "follow the grain from the side like i was planning on doing." basically when a stave is split it follows the grain more or less so i take a pencil and hold it while putting my fingers on the side of the stave and then running my fingers along the side with the pencil in the middle of the stave, putting a line that follows the outside of the stave. then i go back and tweak the line to follow the grain exactly.