violating a back

[Stick Bender]

Ha!Ha! He is probably a wanabe for that too !! He would say violated actresses perform better 😛

[SLIMBOB]

After reading his drivel, and seeing his handle, I assumed early on this was just some youngsters attempt at feeling relevant without having to be relevant.

[willie]

It was elm, a wood known for tension strength.

bubbles, is not elm also noted for interlocking spiral grain? and the recommendations for decrowning, to keep the ring lines straight?

[bushboy]

Funny how bh video got dragged into this!lol!

[bubbles]

It was elm, a wood known for tension strength.

bubbles, is not elm also noted for interlocking spiral grain? and the recommendations for decrowning, to keep the ring lines straight?

The grain was pretty straight on this piece, but yes, I've also had elm with seemingly straight grain on the belly with the back ring swirling and weaving in and out of itself.  Maybe this was one of those pieces.  I wasn't very experienced back then (not that i am now either) so I probably didn't do a good job decrowning.
My experiment with decrowning was a while ago, and very short lived. Back when I first read about decrowning in TBB series. I believe it was claimed to increase performance. But I read in the next TBB that trapping increases performance and that (like what Marc just said) a crowned stave is a naturally trapped and therefore will perform better.

[George Tsoukalas]

Decrowning is difficult to do properly. That longitudinal grain has to be  followed equally from side to side.

Typically, it is not needed if heavily crowned bows are left a few inches longer.

I have made many board bows and have had very few failures as long as I chose the stave which must be straight grained.

There's more on my site if anyone is interested.

Jawge

[EdwardS]

I went by the library and picked up TBB 1, which has Tim Baker's comments on the matter.  By strict reading, yes a "violated" back would perform better, but in reality the ring orientation he posited would mean one ring that's running down the center unviolated. 

As to the experiences people have with chasing rings, it sure seems to work as well.  Physics generally would state that the rectangular bow would outperform a chased stave (unless flat) but that isn't always true. 

I'm not a great or even good bowyer, but I do get physics.  I get the point Jack wanted to make, but it was not very well elucidated.

[jayman448]

wow. i read it too. i know ive not got many bows to show for my work as i am just starting but even my edge grain project was a fail... meanwhile my UN-violated staves have produced. there is proof enough for me. and furthermore... if there was ever a group of guys who could produce a scientific paper on the matter, they are all on this site.