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Offline nclonghunter

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white wood question?
« on: February 17, 2010, 10:06:19 am »
If you make a bow from a small tree or sapling, perhaps 1 1/2 or 2 inches around, would it be better to de-crown the back or remove the belly leaving the crown on the back?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2010, 10:09:24 am »
I would leave the back as is and be sure the belly is flat. Check out Jawge's site. He has info on sapling bows on there.
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Offline luke the drifter

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2010, 11:34:05 am »
i should probably know this.  what means the term--"CROWN".  any pictures to illustrate?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2010, 12:09:03 pm »
Luke, the crown is the high point along the back.
  The glossary in the back of TBBIV says... "The low or high arch on the back or belly of a bow".
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2010, 12:19:06 pm »
Make the belly flat, probably pretty much across the diameter of the sapling for maximum width, but with a bit extra removed to work past the pith.
Then remove as much crown as you need to get to floor tiller weight, the tiller the belly as usual.
Hope this makes sense.
The principal as I see it is to maintain maximum width.
Del
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Offline nclonghunter

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2010, 12:42:00 pm »
Del the Cat, what you said makes sense and I was thinking the same thing only backwards....remove the back just past center pith and then tiller from belly...I will just have to try both ways and see what happens.
I am thinking the compression issues on belly would make flattening the belly first, the best option, but I suspect flattening the back first will spread the compression out when you begin to tiller the belly....I would also think reducing the belly first would give me more handle in the belly...I just like a flat backed bow, if possible. This will be a good project for 2010. 
Any pictures of sapling bows would be great..
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Offline Gordon

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2010, 01:04:31 pm »
I don't remove the crown when I make a sapling bow. Most of the woods I use are stronger in tension than compression so decrowning is unnecessary.
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Gordon

Offline Pat B

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2010, 01:34:50 pm »
Decrowning is not necessary and leads to potential back splinters. A flat belly is more important I believe. The less you do to the back the better.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2010, 01:35:41 pm »
And make it a little longer than usual.
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2010, 02:58:44 pm »
This bow was made from a very steeply crowned log, if I had not de-crowned it, it would have ended up much narrower, or an undrawable weight, or it would have taken more set.
The original game plan was to have it as a bark-on bow.

De crowning doesn't do much harm as the lines of 'ring violation' run pretty much up the length of the bow along either side of the limb parallel to the edge, they don't cut across the limb. (Except where there is some twist in the limb, as you can see in the pic)
This was the 'bad half' of a split log, which was a sort of rounded triangle in cross section, so the 'good' half had a very flat back and this bow had a very pointy back, which I just had to decrown to make it work.
The bottom line is you just have to listen to the wood, and ya cannae use wha' ya havnae got!

It turned out to be one of my favourite bows.

BTW, that bark up the edges is still on there , and looks really good.
Del
« Last Edit: February 17, 2010, 03:04:23 pm by Del the cat »
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Offline zenmonkeyman

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2010, 08:29:58 pm »
Del, did you worry about making sure you had parallel lines in the rings you cut through?  Or did you go for even thickness instead?  Not too many proponents of decrowning around here, even though it's recommended in TBB1, so it's good to hear the voice of experience.  Ever lost any bows because of decrowning?
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Offline El Destructo

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2010, 09:52:44 pm »
If I don't use a Quarter Sawn Board.... I decrown all my Staves for my Paddle Bows...unless they come from very Large trees...because I want the Backs as flat as Possible...and I have very seldom had a Problem with Splinters lifting...but I have on two...and them ...I just Sinewed....
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Offline Simple Hunter

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2010, 10:12:17 pm »
Here is one I just posted a while ago.it depends on the wood I know hickory is best with a crown on the back and a flat belly.
The thickness of the handle was the thickness of the tree.Hickory is so strong in tension that it can overpower the belly and cause excessive set.But heat treating can help that some.

[attachment deleted by admin]
« Last Edit: February 17, 2010, 10:16:46 pm by Simple Hunter »
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Offline nclonghunter

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #13 on: February 18, 2010, 12:00:15 am »
Great info coming out here...Simple Hunter, I am wondering what the approximate thickness (across the  base end) of that hickory bow was, to begin with. It looks great!
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: white wood question?
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2010, 09:54:13 am »
Decrowning is ok but not easy to do right. An easier solution is to leave the stave an inch or 2 longer than you normally do. LOL. At least that's what I do. I also leave the belly flat. Jawge
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