Author Topic: chasing rings on black locust?  (Read 1547 times)

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Offline jimbows

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chasing rings on black locust?
« on: March 23, 2013, 10:34:44 pm »
what do you guys think is the best way to chase a ring on a bl ? i started on my first bl stave today and it seems like it is almost impossible to see the rings.

Offline Badly Bent

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Re: chasing rings on black locust?
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2013, 11:10:41 pm »
Did you remove the sapwood first? If not you may be trying to chase sapwood rings in which case that would be difficult. Heartwood rings are very similar to osage ring chasing and can be done with a draw knife almost by feel. Only super thin heartwood ringed bl
would require something more delicate like a scraper. If your into the heartwood you'll easily be able to do it. Hope that helps, :)
I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.

Offline Joec123able

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Re: chasing rings on black locust?
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2013, 11:41:16 pm »
You need the right lighting that's really important or you try some kind of stain to help you see the rings
I like osage

Offline jimbows

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Re: chasing rings on black locust?
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2013, 11:54:08 pm »
ok thanks guys for the help. i did take the sapwood off but i didnt have the best of lighting so I will give it another go when I get some better lighting.

Offline Pat B

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Re: chasing rings on black locust?
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2013, 12:04:51 am »
Put the stave between you and good sunlight or an incandascent light and like osage the grain will pop.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline vyadha

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Re: chasing rings on black locust?
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2013, 03:55:58 am »
I just chased one today with a drawknife and as PatB mentioned, lighting is key.

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: chasing rings on black locust?
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2013, 10:01:37 am »
The BL in NH grows fast so rings are huge.  Don't know about where you are.  Are you working a sapling? In that case the rings would be small with maybe not even heartwood so chasing may not be an issue. Jawge
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Offline jimbows

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Re: chasing rings on black locust?
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2013, 02:59:50 pm »
i went out today and looked at it with a different light angle and I can see them alot better. Thanks for all the great advice.