Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Thomas on February 06, 2010, 10:42:46 pm
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Hello to all. My name is Dale Thomas, from Stratford, Ontario. I have been reading posts and enjoying this message board since last January. I have limited computer skills, but hope to learn quickly. I will have to learn how to post pics.,as well as how to run my new camera. A thank you goes out to all of the helpful bowyers out there who share their knowledge and make this board what it is. Now, for my first question. I have made bamboo backed bows,as well as numerous selfbows of ring porous woods such as hickory, ash, and elm. A fellow that I met recently, owns a sawmill and has since our meeting, cut down a dead straight hard maple for me. It is about 14' long by about 8" in diameter.NICE GUY! The only problem that I see is that the growth rings are not what I am used to seeing[1/4" usually]. They are probably 1/8" or less. Is that a problem, or does hard maple ,being diffuse-porous,need wide growth rings to make unbacked selfbows? If I don't need wide growth rings, than I will have at least 8 pipe-straight, knot-free staves. I am looking forward to some input and will post some pics. etc. when I figure out what I am doing with my camera and computer.
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I made a hard maple board bow with growth rings about that size. The bow had a short working limb section and actually had quite a bit of growth ring violation but not in a destructive way. As long as it's tillered well and made wide and long enough for the wood you can probably make a selfbow out of it.
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as far as i am concerned, small growth rings in hard maple don't hurt a bit. i have made a few hard maple self bows from qtr sawn lumber and they did great. the lastest one i did was plain sawn and had a few waves that could be seen as ring violations but it held up fine.
(http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww279/sulphur7/DSCF2702.jpg)
(http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww279/sulphur7/DSCF2701.jpg)
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Welcome to PA Dale, as for the growth rings it doesn't matter what I would be concerned with is using standing dead trees
bacteria and fungi set in fast and the wood may be compromised.
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dana, i think he meant it was REALLY straight. thats how i took it anyway. is that right Dale??
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Thanks for the replies guys. The tree was not standing dead wood, but very straight, live wood. Sorry for the confusion dana. The fellow who owns the sawmill wants to saw it into quarters for me too! He split the rest of the tree up for firewood and said that it split really straight. I wanted to split out my staves, but sawing them should work. Thanks.