Red oak stage question

[Woody roberts]

I’m at deer camp. A big red oak had blown over awhile back. About 16” through and very straight. I cut a 6’-6” piece off and split 14 staves out of it.
Question
Does it matter which way the grain goes on the finished bow.  Flat sawn, quarter sawn or rift sawn?
I know a straight grained board will make a bow no matter the grain orientation. Since these are split what would be best?

[Woody roberts]

Stave! Dang spell check

[Bob Barnes]

if you actually split them into staves, the split would have followed the grain, and you should be good to go.  It will probably make very good bows, but would likely benefit from a form, a little reflex, and a heat treated belly.  have fun.

[Pat B]

How big are the staves you split out? The strongest way to go is to remove the bark and make that the back just like any stave bow.
 Red oak, from a live tree isn't the same wood you buy at Lowe's or Home Depot but superior to the store bought stuff.

[TimBo]

I thought you wanted to use old stage flooring!

[Woody roberts]

It has been laying too long to use the sapwood. The splits came out pretty clean and would take very little sanding to make the back on most of them. It would be the same as a quarter sawn board except the grain is good exactly true instead of close to true

[bownarra]

No problem to do what you suggested. The back will be plenty strong

[George Tsoukalas]

Any whitewood laying on the ground for a long period of time may not be bow worthy.

Any of the grain board types will work.

I allow 2 runout per limb fo a bend in the handle 50# bow for flat and rift sawn.

No run outs for a 1/4 sawn board. I don't much like this cut. I haven't worked much 1/4 sawn so I don't know exactly why no run outs are allowed. LOL. I think Tim Baker said it.

Jawge

[Don W]

Any whitewood laying on the ground for a long period of time may not be bow worthy.

Any of the grain board types will work.

I allow 2 runout per limb fo a bend in the handle 50# bow for flat and rift sawn.

No run outs for a 1/4 sawn board. I don't much like this cut. I haven't worked much 1/4 sawn so I don't know exactly why no run outs are allowed. LOL. I think Tim Baker said it.

Jawge

Did you ever split a piece of wood by starting the split, grabbing the two pieces and pull them apart? If a 1/4 sawn board has run out, every time you draw the bow, you're pulling the two pieces apart. Then you release and it's pulling in the opposite direction (just like you would in the above for added force) but still pulling it apart. It will fail rather quickly if it's thin enough or enough force is exerted.  Backing really doesn't help because you lack surface area between the parts.

[Woody roberts]

Got one roughed in. 1/4 sawn. No run outs. Next I’ll rough in a flat sawn with no run outs just for comparison

[Woody roberts]

Really I was just trying to post a pic. That’s as small as I can shrink them. Still fuzzy and distorted

[Don W]

Got one roughed in. 1/4 sawn. No run outs. Next I’ll rough in a flat sawn with no run outs just for comparison

Just a question, but if you have a log, why are you splitting 1/4 sawn instead of a normal flat sawn stave, which is definitely preferred for making a bow? At least it would be for me.

[Woody roberts]

Don
Just for curiosity. I believe flat sawn would be better. Since these are split I’m using the sawn terms just to differentiate the grain orientation.

When you split out a pie shaped piece from a log it will run true to the grain on red oak. When you split the heart and sapwood from that piece it will run out. When I get home I can use a drawknife to chase a ring so to speak. Here all I have is an axe which I could make work but I’m going home tomorrow.
Hope this explains