Opinions on Osage growth rings

[bentstick54]

What is everyone’s opinions on the difference in thinner growth rings like on the left side of this log, versus the wider growth rings on the right? Not necessarily out of the same tree, but in general. Thickness of late wood rings? Thickness of late wood to early wood ratio? Will a bow from one make a better bow than the other?

[bradsmith2010]

they both work fine

[bentstick54]

I was just wondering if there could be any performance difference if two identical bows were made at same poundage. I’ve only made 13 or 14 bows, all basically the same design, and have been happy with the performance of the ones I got a decent tiller on. All came from Kansas osage.

In another thread Badger mentioned not being overly impressed with plains states Osage. I have no experience with any from other parts of the country, but it got me to thinking about the quality of staves from different trees from different soils in the state. I have seen trees with super thick late wood rings and very thin early wood, trees with very thin late and early wood rings and everything in between. So it just got me to wondering if one would outperform the other all else being equal?

[bradsmith2010]

not really,, there is too much other variation,, for example a thick ring osage from one tree,, might be better than a thick ring osage from a different tree,, probably more depends on cure time,, tiller,, etc etc etc,,
both make good bows,, its more about design ,, you just dont ever know till you work a peace of wood,,, thick or thin ring what it will do,,
i dont think there is an answer to your question, but reserve the right to be wrong,,

[Allyn T]

Split the log in half and burn both, whichever burns hotter is the denser wood 

[Eric Krewson]

Looks like you have some serious checking on that log, I would be splitting it and getting the bark and sapwood off pronto to see how bad it is on other parts of the log other than the end.

[bentstick54]

It’s an older photo, and it was about a 10’ log that I salvaged from being a corner post. I was able to cutdown both ends to get past checking and got 4 workable staves out of it. I recently acquired a log that I’ve already split but the entire log had extra wide late rings and very thin early rings which got me to thinking about my original question.

[Pat B]

In a perfect world 1/4" late wood and 1/16" early wood would be ideal but working with natural materials you are not in a perfect world. After a few years of harvesting wood for bow building you will find that you use what you have to work with and make the best bow you can. We aren't building Swiss watches here. Just learn proper tillering(not that you can't) and build the best bow you can with what you have to work with.   

[Selfbowman]

Here is my opinion.

[Selfbowman]

1 having the best early -late rings. Ratio
2 good
3 to much early ring.
But what does opinions count.
Arvin
The real dark growth ring about 4 in from the sap wood would be an interesting bow if that is as dense as I  think it is.

[DC]

In a perfect world 1/4" late wood and 1/16" early wood would be ideal but working with natural materials you are not in a perfect world. After a few years of harvesting wood for bow building you will find that you use what you have to work with and make the best bow you can. We aren't building Swiss watches here. Just learn proper tillering(not that you can't) and build the best bow you can with what you have to work with.   

I know little to nothing about Osage but why would you want any early wood? I had assumed that as thin as possible was the goal for early wood.

[PatM]

In a perfect world 1/4" late wood and 1/16" early wood would be ideal but working with natural materials you are not in a perfect world. After a few years of harvesting wood for bow building you will find that you use what you have to work with and make the best bow you can. We aren't building Swiss watches here. Just learn proper tillering(not that you can't) and build the best bow you can with what you have to work with.   

I know little to nothing about Osage but why would you want any early wood? I had assumed that as thin as possible was the goal for early wood.

 Probably for ease of following a ring.  Easier to do when you have a bit of depth of the crunchy layer.

 Of course in a perfect scenario you might hope for a thick early layer on top of your chosen back ring and then thin ones beyond that.

[neuse]

Arvin,

In your picture, am I correct in saying that the #1 choice is to far down, there would not be enough wood left to make a bow?

[gutpile]

most checks on end pieces usually don't go too deep... that right there is why you seal staves on ends... gut

[bownarra]

It doesn't matter. I've had some staves with terrible ring ratios, loads of earlywood and had them make great bows.
Use what ya got