Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: George Tsoukalas on November 15, 2008, 10:13:37 pm

Title: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 15, 2008, 10:13:37 pm

I started on a hickory bow with a bit if a snaky grain and decided to add a section on my web site showing the process of following the vertical grain. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/layout.html

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: Coo-wah-chobee on November 15, 2008, 10:21:10 pm

The "newbies" will thank ya Jawge !  ;D......bob

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: david w. on November 15, 2008, 10:22:10 pm

This newbie thanks you ;D  This will really help

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: Justin Snyder on November 15, 2008, 10:26:37 pm

A much needed reminder..... thanks George.  You must have been working on your site when I tried to visit the other day.  It said it was unavailable. I'm glad to see it is working great today.  ;) Justin

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 15, 2008, 10:32:05 pm

Thanks, Bob and David. Justin, I can't explain my site's unavailability the other day. I was working on it today only. Jawge

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: Justin Snyder on November 15, 2008, 10:37:16 pm

I guess I don't care why, just so I can get on it now.  ;D

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 15, 2008, 10:42:33 pm

I'm glad. :) Jawge

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: David Long on November 15, 2008, 11:11:16 pm

Thanks for posting that George. Question: It looks like from the pics we are looking at the outside of the stave (debarked). Can't see grain from there can you? I understand how you can from the opposite surface, split from the inside of the log. I'm a little slow...Dave

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 15, 2008, 11:31:14 pm

Dave, good question. Bark and the inner bark (cambium) has been removed. Yes, look closely at the back and you will see grain lines running tip to tip. That is the vertical grain. Sometimes these lines are straight and run parallel to the edges and sometimes they take left and rights as these did. These you must follow when laying out the bow. Does that help? Jawge

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: David Long on November 15, 2008, 11:56:09 pm

That's clear Jawge, thanks. But when you look at for example yew, or maple staves, no such grain is given away. Just a white surface as smooth as a baby's butt. In that case you look from the "inside" I assume. Dave

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 16, 2008, 12:09:02 am

I agree. They are hard to see on yew. They would be hard to see from the inside of the stave. Jawge

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: Justin Snyder on November 16, 2008, 12:24:28 am

David, the lines are there just real hard to see sometimes.  Sometimes scraping it smooth will help to reveal the lines.

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 16, 2008, 10:59:10 am

When a stave is hand split it will follow the vertical grain. So the bowyer just has to follow the sides of the stave. If it is band sawed then  probably not. Jawge

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: Boro on November 17, 2008, 05:59:25 am

Cheers
This is very helpfull.
Boris

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: huntersteve on November 17, 2008, 08:52:18 am

Thanks George.....one question...your following the grain to establish the centerline but isn't the grain violated when you start to taper towards the tips.....Steve

Title: Re: Following the vertical or lateral grain
Post by: George Tsoukalas on November 17, 2008, 10:18:49 am

Steve, no because in a snaky bow the width taper towards the tips must also be snaky. Once the snaky center line has been drawn, the lines for the width taper should mimic the center line. Please stay with me if you don't understand. I should put up a few pictures once I get her roughed out. I'm slow. Still hunting some. Jawge