Breaks along early wood rings

[RyanY]

Given the interest in the early wood weak link thread I am curious about an adjacent topic. I recently got into a debate about what constitutes runout in a board bow. The other individual seemed to believe that even boards with straight grain have runout where the grain (likely looking at the early wood rings) leaves the limb when it’s tapered. I argue that this is not the case or every bow would have runout. Given that the early wood is certainly weaker, it would seem that it would be the weak spot for breaks in boards with good OR questionable grain. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case as I rarely see bows break like this. Another piece of evidence, on the red oak paddle bow I made last year, there were actually “islands” of rings that were attached only by the early wood due to the paddle shaped taper. If early wood is as weak as we think it is, it seems like sections like that would simply pop off. Especially with such an extreme bend. Wondering what the community thinks of this topic.

If you have pictures of board bows that have broken along the early wood specifically please share!

[bassman]

Ya, if you look at the limb taper you will see run off, but their is still some straight grain running to the tips. As far as islands I have had them blow right out of the limb a couple times with Osage.  Some times you get away with it ,and some times you don't. I have bows  still shooting OK with islands . Never had a bow break because of limb taper run off, but maybe some have.

[RyanY]

Were those on staves? I can't say that I've seen an self board bow made of osage. If the island was left there was it part of a ring on top of the back? I see how the grain runs out of the limb when it tapers but there seems to be a limit as to what angle that can be before it becomes an issue and likely changes with wood species. Seems like if the grain is straight then it is almost never an issue in well built bows.

[George Tsoukalas]

Ryan you are correct. That is definitely not the case. Jawge

[bassman]

Yes staves. Island belly blown out. Attempting to make a functional bow with a poor piece of Osage wood. No authority on the subject. Just what has happened to me in real time. I believe a statement Badger made once that some staves are just not meant to be bows, but if you don't try you won't know. Nice paddle bow that  you made last year.

[PatM]

The "bonding"  ability of porous earlywood certainly varies considerably too.  Sometimes you can easily split a piggyback and have it  follow the ring and others will tear across.

[RyanY]

The "bonding"  ability of porous earlywood certainly varies considerably too.  Sometimes you can easily split a piggyback and have it  follow the ring and others will tear across.

True. I could see this. Maybe osage is weak in that department as bassman has experienced and described. Would be interesting that red oak could be strong in this area given unless it is more common than I realize for boards to break along the early wood lines.

[PatM]

How would you compare Osage and Red Oak when it comes to working to one ring?   Is Oak as crunchy to you?

[RyanY]

I would say that it has a similar feel. I haven't chased a red oak ring for a backing but in reducing bellies you tend to get into that early wood at times and it feels similar with a draw knife. I'm guessing there's a macroscopic difference given what appears to be red oak's tube like structure versus the more honeycomb appearance in osage.

[PatM]

I was thinking that Oak might be a but more fibrous.