Ring orientation

[UserNameTaken]

Hey, I noticed that the Strunk ocean spray bow that was posted a while back was taken down to the pith, or cut in half. Is that considered necessary? With a small diameter sapling, you would end up with your ring orientation all backwards if you didn't take it down to half way. Is that a problem?

[George Tsoukalas]

It is not necessary but it will work. I've never done it on a sapling but somemof my board bows have been backwards. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

Yes, the split has to be equal. No step downs, run offs etc. Looking at the side will tell. The ring lines need to be straight. Jawge

[UserNameTaken]

Just to make sure that we're on the same page, this is what I'm talking about:


See how, on the bottom picture, the rings reverse as you go past the pith? You get more wood to work with, but I thought I remembered seeing something in the TBB about why you shouldn't do that. And then, I noticed that Mr. Strunk had taken his bow clear down to the pith. His bow would look like the top picture.

[Pat B]

That doesn't matter.  Even a small sapling would be quite heavy if left that thick. When you tiller a bow you remove wood from the belly until it bends well and to the draw length and draw weight you want. Each piece is different but I've never made one with that much thickness. Most go way below the center pith.

[George Tsoukalas]

I guess I am confused. Are you saying you want to make the belly the back of the bow? Jawge

[UserNameTaken]

George, not exactly, but that would have about the same affect, I think.

[danlaw]

I've made quite a few ocean spray bows, and they all get taken down to the pith (or past). The problem with ocean spray is that it checks like crazy. If you leave the bow thick (not down to the pith), it's going to want to check down to the pith anyway to relieve the stress created during drying. I wrap the handles in painter's tape for a few months to keep the handle from checking, and some still do anyway. On some historic pictures of native bows (gull-wing designs) the pith is visible on the back of the bow, so they definitively reversed them at times without a problem. I think the next ocean spray bow I make will be reversed  - I was even thinking it might be nifty to cable back the bow and use the pith as the guide. It's not exactly as efficient as a raised cable (TBB!) but could look cool.

[George Tsoukalas]

Oh ok. If you are tillering the belly you will get that which you describe unless i am totally misunderstanding what you are saying once again. Jawge