Author Topic: I want your opinions on this piece of black walnut.....pics (Read 3270 times)

bearbowman · « **on:** March 05, 2009, 08:56:52 am »

This will be my first stave bow. I have never chased a ring. I've built two self bows but the staves were already roughed and ready to go.
I would like to have some of the heartwood in the bow.
The pic with the tape measure is the thinnest part of the stave and it's towards the center.
Do you chase the ring first and then rough it?
What are your thoughts? I am planning on spending a lot of time on it this weekend.
Thanks,
Bob

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bearbowman · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2009, 08:58:40 am »

More pictures

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TRACY · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2009, 09:06:47 am »

Don't necessarily have to chase a ring if you don't want to. Just use the the first layer after peeling the bark and cambium layer off. Glue on heartwood handle and tip overlays maybe. If you do chase a ring, get plenty of light to work with so you can stay within one ring. I chased my first rings on a piece of subprime hickory to get the hang of it and experience. Good luck either way and if you chase, practice on the first few layers with your target ring well below the practice area.

Tracy

Ryano · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2009, 09:08:13 am »

Looks like if you take it down that far its not going to leave you with much wood for a handle but you could always glue on one I guess. I'd take it down and chase the first or second sapwood ring above the heart, take your time taking it down and practice chasing some of the other rings on your way down.....

bearbowman · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:57:03 am »

What is the cambium layer? How do I know when I'm through it?

Pappy · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:15:26 pm »

You can see the little thin line in between the thicker ring,thats the cambium.It will be proser
and usually a little Chrisy.Like a honey comb.As you are chasing the ring ,when you get close to the Cambium use a scraper to clean it up.Have good light and if you loose sight of where you are walk around it and look at it from a different direction.Sometimes I will mark it with a pencil till I get where I can see it again. Like Ryan said If you want heart wood start 2 or 3 above so you can practice before you get to the one you want.From the look of it once you get to the one above
the heart wood you can't make any mistakes.Or you could do like Tracy and make it out of the sap wood and glue on a walnut handle and tip overlays.
Pappy

Pat B · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2009, 01:16:48 pm »

Pappy, I hate to contridict but the cambium is the layer between the bark and the sapwood. The honeycomb layer between the thick rings is early wood that is put down each year as the tree grows. The cambium is actually the only living part of the trunk. Everything else is dead wood or bark.
Bob, It looks like you will have enough heartwood to remove all but a few sapwood rings. You may need to fill out the back of the handle to make it comfortable to hold and shoot. I use shoe leather for this but you can do it with wood, as long as that area doesn't bend.

Pappy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2009, 07:32:52 am »

Stand corrected.

Hope he knew what I meant.

Pappy

Primitive Archer