Ash bow Dimentions

[petew]

I recently was given some Black Ash Staves, and since then have been reading that they are not the best for a bow. Is Black Ash realy that bad?
 So now I have shipped them across Canada, they need to become bows, even if it is just practice at bowering. 
 Assuming I keep the bows about 66" long. 45 to 50# at 28" and about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4" wide might I be able to be succesfull with a bendy handle, or can I make them with a no bend handle?
 Should I steam in reflex in anticipation of a lot of string follow?
 I prefer not to use backing if possible.

 Thanks

 Pete

 

[sailordad]

well ive never used it
but if its questionable wood i would keep it a littlonger and a little wider
there are some great bow woods,some decent and some that others say are junk
but yet then there are those that have made bows from them so called junk bow woods
the key is wider and longer
my self on questionable wood i would go 72" ntn,2" wide and i would just use a pyramid tiller

and like you said, if nothing else it will help you learn to tiller.
good luck,post pics and ask lots of questions along the way

[half eye]

Pete,
      Dont know who gave you the info about black ash......I've made many bows from black ash....and really like it. I make mine from fully quartersawn "boards" and have made lots of mollegabets (stiff handled) and some odawa and ojibwa bows as well....never had any complaints.
      Also I love to make my arrow shafts from the stuff, they are lighter, beautiful grain, and tough. Maybe the other fella knows more than me, but he could always send that "junk" to this blind old man. JMO
Rich

[petew]

Well now I feel better
 

[half eye]

pete,
      Went through some old photo's and finally found one.....the second bown from the top is a black ash mollegabet. FYI
rich

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[ken75]

mmmmm gonna have to try me some black ash ... did i spell that right

[sailordad]

mmmmm gonna have to try me some black ash ... did i spell that right

 

[petew]

I can see a "Mollegabet" in at least one of those Ash Staves. Any chance you might share the layout measurements for the ones  you have Rich?

 Pete

[half eye]

pete,
       I put some on a long time ago but managed to find these.....no particular order but hope they are what ya need.
Rich

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[half eye]

sorry but the last photo was about a little shorty....do NOT use those thickness dimensions for a hunting bow.....limbs should start out near 3/4" and get worked down from there depending on the wood.....after a few you will get a general idea of how thick to rough cut the bows for the wood/weight you are after and minimize unnecessary scraping effort.
Rich

[petew]

Fantastic, Thank you very much Rich.

Now that I am infected with the Bow Building Bug I need to spend a lot more time here. This place is a wealth of help and knowledge.

 Pete

[denny]

Awesome job halfeye. I agree with you, black ash is like red elm beautiful wood , light, but make it long and wide and it is fun to work with. Denny

[sulphur]

to my knowledge only green ash and swamp ash (louisana tree) are poor bow woods.  black ash in only slighlty less dense than white.  make a pyramid style bow 68" tip to tip, 4" handle with 2" fades and 2" wide tapering to .5" tips.  Its wide and not too long and works great from red oak to ash to maple to hackberry.  Don't forget the pics!!

[walkabout]

what would be a good starting thickness for the working limb portion of a hunting weight mollegabet? maybe something around 65" oal