Osage Ring Thickness

[burchett.donald]

 The thinner ringed Osage has taken less set for me so far...Maybe the thicker faster growing rings aren't as dense as the slower growing thinner rings?...Getting into ultra thin rings, ring ratio will have to be considered...
                        Don

[Joec123able]

I've made bows from paper thin rings and thick rings. Once again I'll say I like it all, Osage is just great wood all around. This one I made three years ago has tiny little rings, great bow took next to no string follow.

[JonW]

I hate Osage. Makes a crappy bow....

[Jim Davis]

Somebody was hoping for scientific evidence. I don't have it but it is true that something like 90% of the tension and compression forces are carried in the wood that is within one tenth of the thickness from the back and belly.

So, a thin ring that is .05" thick on a limb that is .5" thick is carrying about the same load as a much thicker ring would carry.

It is also worth noting, that a thin ringed limb that tapers in thickness will have more early wood on the surface of the belly than a thick-ringed limb.

I'd be into those trades for my thin-ringed stash if it weren't for the shipping costs.

Jim Davis

[Stick Bender]

Just a interesting thought if you add sinew to the mix I wonder if the thicker ring stuff would be better in compretion ? Or is there any difference  just curious since my original post included sinew , I don't have enough exsperience to know the difference yet . All though the thin ringed osage is my fastest bow so far.

[SLIMBOB]

OK.  Good start.  That's better than throwing something out there and running from it.   But it doesn't support your argument.  It seems you have changed your mind, or rethought the whole thing and decided that you too like thin ringed better.   

Stick.  With sinew, I dont think it matters at all.

[Joec123able]

OK.  Good start.  That's better than throwing something out there and running from it.   But it doesn't support your argument.  It seems you have changed your mind, or rethought the whole thing and decided that you too like thin ringed better.   

Stick.  With sinew, I dont think it matters at all.

I don't have any factual proven argument and you've agreed you don't either so I see no reason to argue to get no where I will, however, admit I was wrong in saying "I guarentee" that was wrong to say.

[Selfbowman]

I recently built a thick ring bow. There was barely two rings in the limbs. The stave was not as dense as the tight ring stave. You pic up two staves at the same time and the thick ring bow was quite a bit lighter. Drop them on the concrete and the tight ring had a higher pitch. I built the bow as if it was a white wood bow thicker and wider. The bow has good cast and speed.you pick a bow of the same design and draw weight the thick ringed bow is much larger in physical size. I think it comes down to density and mass. Arvin

[Selfbowman]

Forgot to mention that important early/latewood percentage factor too.

Yes on early to late ring. Tighter the early ring the better.   Arvin

[Selfbowman]

I will put you on my trade with list then. But you gadda swap me thin ring stuff.

Sleek if it is straight put me on your list and we can trade at OJAM. Arvin

[SLIMBOB]

Joe...I'm giving you a hard time.  No argument here.  It looks like we agree anyway!

Arvin...I agree with you.  I too think it is density and mass.  I have seen this often enough in the staves I worked that I will treat them differently.  As a side note, you and I met each other a few years ago in Vanderpool.  Your bows are really really nice!

[Eric Krewson]

I just finished my 154th bow, with a few exceptions they were osage bows. For the osage I cut around here, rings wider than 3/8" make sluggish bows.

I have made several bows out of the middle slice and others like it, all were light weight wood, took string follow and were sluggish.

More of my bows have been made out of wood like the other two examples, heavy wood, real snappy and my first choice.

[sleek]

This is about right.

[SLIMBOB]

Sleek....Now that's tight ringed Osage.  Did you leave the sapwood on it?  How did it perform?  Very curious.

[sleek]

I left the sap on, and it took very very little set. Shoots great. Its a good performer. Its ole ugly tips. The one I miffed up the tips on and redid them.

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