Author Topic: A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs  (Read 2815 times)

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Offline arachnid

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A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs
« on: June 07, 2015, 02:35:56 pm »
HI guys.

I was wondering this for a long time now- when I pick a board with straight grain and the cut the bow shape out of it, doesn`t the width taper technicly create grain run-offs on the bow`s back?
I draw this crappy looking drawing to explain myself:


The image to the right is the board. The middle one is the shape of the bow (on this case a pyramid but is can be anything) marked on the board and the left one is the bow cut of the board. I marked with a blue circuls the spots that are supposebly run-offs.
And yet- this is the way to go and it works! How come the bow doesn`t break at these spots?

I`ll be more the happy to know...

Thanks,
Dor
« Last Edit: June 07, 2015, 03:05:58 pm by arachnid »

Offline J05H

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Re: A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2015, 02:44:12 pm »
I can't see the picture, but I can say the goal is to minimize run-off. We can't fully eliminate run-off be cause it's present any time we taper the width. As long as we keep it to an absolute minimum, we give the bow the best possible chance to survive.
If you never have time to do it right, you'll always have time to do it over.

Offline aaron

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Re: A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2015, 04:10:56 pm »
because the run offs are on the side rather than the back, they are not under much stress. Runoffs on the belly and sides are ok, but runoffs on the back are a problem- that's why we follow a growth ring on the back..
Ilwaco, Washington, USA
"Good wood makes great bows, but bad wood makes great bowyers"

Offline Badger

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Re: A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2015, 04:46:00 pm »
  Dor, you are correct, mos of our side tapers are pretty low angles and that seems to minmise the effects of the grain running out at those points. On occassion it will lift a splinter in areas that taper but no often. Rounding the corners will usually be all that is needed to reduce the risk.

  Aaron, the growth rings and grain lines run opposite directions. On board bows we always wrongly refler to the growth ring lines as grain and it gets confusing.

Offline arachnid

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Re: A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2015, 04:53:47 pm »
Thanks Steve.
That been said, will rounding the edges reduce the risk of a lift splinter on a higher angle runoff?

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2015, 09:30:21 am »
The fibers are straight tip to tip. Those really are not run offs.
Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline PatM

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Re: A thing I don`t get about grain run-offs
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2015, 09:49:37 am »
The fibers are straight tip to tip. Those really are not run offs.
Jawge
They still are effectively if the width is tapered through the lines.