My first log...

[egstonvonbrick]

Now before i start apologies for the picture blitz and also that you have all proabably seen many similar posts before...

I now seem to be able to knock out decent enough bows (mainly ELB) from Ash boards and am now having a go at if from basics.... i.e. a tree.

Chasing the grain in a perfectly selected plank of Ash has not been a problem, but i'm finding it a tad more effort from a tree!
I'm practicing on an Ash log i have had drying for a year... one thing i've learnt is that a draw-knife is a pretty unforgiving mistress!

My plan was to practice chasing growth rings... the two pics below show each end of the stave and where i think i need to get to... don't know why i'm going down so many rings... practice i suppose... and i'm heading for the fat one marked with the red dots.

One end...


t'other end...


I then got to thinking would you bother in attempting to make a bow from this wobbly chunk?

I'm a sucker for punishemnt, but am i wasting my time?

That was a rhetorical question as I will carry on regardless... as i think i will learn a lot - but not necesasarily end up with a very efficeint bow - and any thoughts are much appreciated!

Other pics are....

Banana log...




This pic i have drawn a line where i can think i can sneak a bow without steaming etc... i'm a fundamentally lazy old so-and-so and although will happily spend weeks removing growth rings, know that if i have to start steaming or bending i will get seduced by other projects!


Any thougts advice much apprecaited...

Oh, the tools... are hand-me-downs of hand-me-downs... the spoke shave must be old as its stamped 'made in England' and the drawknife... well i live in a Victorian house and i think this thing was old then!

Both tho are give stirling service...

Cheers
Ev

[Pat B]

Ev, Chasing a ring on ash should be pretty simple with the early rings being so pronounced.
  As far as the "wobbly chunk" goes find the center line by following a grain line. Then mark out your bow to that center line and reduce it to floor tiller stage. It will be a lot easier to correct and twists and unwanted bends that way. You can get away with quite a bit of twists and bends with a selfbow whitout much trouble.
  You can also tiller the twist out by making one side stronger so the twist will disappear as you reach full draw. Thats where it matters most anyway.

[DarkSoul]

Why do you want to chase a ring in that stave in the first place? It's ash...nature has already chased a ring for you: the one right underneath the bark! It's already exposed and I see nothing why you couldn't use that ring as the back of your bow.
Looks like a really nice stave. Draw a center line on the back of the stave, and do most initial wood removal with a drawknife freehand. A sharp drawknife can really hog off a lot of wood. Establish the width first.

[George Tsoukalas]

No need to chase a ring on ash but you could for pratice. You can't draw a line as pictured in your photo. She may break on you. Always follow the lateral grain when laying out your center line. What type of wood doesn't matter. More on my site re bow layout. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/layout.html

[egstonvonbrick]

Chaps,

Many thanks for your thoughts...

>>Chasing a ring on ash should be pretty simple
Yep, seems to be going ok... i have decided to stop at the next decent ring... and thanks for the tiller advice... looking forward to tillering in 2D!

>>Why do you want to chase a ring in that stave in the first place?
Good point and... er, well... after leaving the log to season (i had left the bark on) and when checking on it saw it was covered in multiple bug exit holes. So i thought i had best check how deep they had gone... fortunately just below the bark.
Sadly the bark didn't want to come off... suppose i should have removed when fresh.

I then thought i'd have my first go with a draw-knife and got a bit carried away!
(so had to go a few lower growth rings than i had at first hoped!)

But, i've learnt a few more lessons!

>>I'm not sure how good that drawknife is gonna work.
It seems to work ok, and although old and 'not much meat left on the blade' what should i be looking for in a drawer knife?... i keep meaning to buy a new one but they are quite pricey and come in many varieties and (again) any advice is appreciated.

>>You can't draw a line as pictured in your photo. She may break on you.
Many thanks for the advice, i shall follow the lateral grain and see how much twist i'm left with at floor tiller stage.

Again, thanks a lot for the advice, much appreciated.

Cheers
Ev

[crooketarrow]

 PRACTICE ON THE REAL THING. As you build bows you'll get plenty of exsperance. I don't go looking for rings. I use the real back 99% of the time. WHEN YOU DRAW YOUR CENTER LINE I STAY AS CLOSE AS I CAN TO THE CROWN. This way you don't have to fight stwister limbs. Your center line your tips around to the low side. Doing this will leave your nock swtisted to one side.
  Ash you don't have to chase a ring.

[Del the cat]

Wobbly?
Wobbly?
Call that wobbly?
Bwahhh ha ha ha ha ha.
That's not wobbly that's pretty clean.
Del
(Ok it's a little bit wobbly... but it's not full of knots)

[Del the cat]

BTW An old draw knife is probably going to better than a new one.
And if it's well worn, that's prob cos it was well used and if it was well used , it's prob because it was a good drawknife.
A lemon entry my dear Watson!
Del