Help chasing B.L. ring

[newknapper]

I have started chasing the ring on this stave I got from Lavern off ebay, am I ok with the ring I have right now or do I need to go lower?

Here is a end shot this end has been taken to one ring

[Pat B]

That top ring is fine. Looks like a nice clean stave. You have enough wood to build any bow you want with that stave.      Pat

[newknapper]

Thanks Pat, its 68" and has three pin knots but all are on the edge. I am really hoping to get a nice bow from it. I am shure I'll be asking more 's in the future

[Pat B]

Ask all you need. We'll give you the answers.   If the pin knots can be centered in the limb or eliminated all together, do so. You don't want them on the edge if you can help it.     Have fun!     Pat

[George Tsoukalas]

Take of the lighter sapwood. Looks like you have enough wood to go to a darker heartwood ring. There's a beautiful ring at about 3/8 inch. That's the best way to handle BL. Jawge

[newknapper]

The stave is 2" wide do you guys think 1 1/2 to 1 5/8 out to mid limb is too narrow? I was wanting a stiff handled bow. Maybe that will get rid of the knots

[Hillbilly]

I'm with Jawge-looks like you're still in the sapwood. I'd take it down to that ring about 5/16" on the tape. 1 5/8"-1 3/4" width works good with locust.

[tom sawyer]

What poundage and draw length do you want?  And how long is your design going to be?  That plays into the choice of width.  For example, I'd go with 1 1/2" to midlimb on a 66" n/n bow if I wanted anything up to 55lb@28".  Maybe 1 5/8" wide for 60lb+.

Less length for a draw under 28", less width for a lower poundage than the examples I mentioned.  This will let you have adequate wood to do the job, but not so much that your limbs are very thin which makes the bow hard to tiller (small change in thickness throws things off).

And yes most people chase a heartwood ring.  Its a little stronger and a lot more beautiful.

[Pat B]

When I looked at the chased back ring it looks like locust heartwood I have chased. I didn't pay attention to the end grain shot. If you still have sapwood rings on your stave, get down to the first heartwood ring for your back.
  I have used locust sapwood for a back ring but I cut the wood and know how it was treated while curing. Generally speaking, the heartwood is what should be used with locust.    Pat

[n2everythg]

I'm with steve (hillbilly) and George.
Go for the second heart ring. Looks nice and thick.

on the thickness of the bow. I go with steve as well. especially if you havnt worked with locust much or build many bows. I would go 1 5/8 min and more likely 1 3/4.
how long a draw you have and how long a bow u plan? weight? that would help with design planning as well.
luck
N2

[cowboy]

Yep, i'd take three more rings off. That fourth and sixth one down look pretty bueno!!

[richpierce]

Agree, make #4 the back of the bow.

[George Tsoukalas]

Sorry, Pat. I figured you didn't note he was into sapwood still and should have stated that. I'd go further down than the second, N2, and get that next thick ring. My experience with BL suggests a 1 3/4 wide and don't skimp on the length. Not sure what draw we are dealing with here. Having said that my very first hunting weight shooter was made from a sapling BL and had a sapwood back. Sometimes you go with what you can. Jawge

[richpierce]

really nice quality pictures of that end ring and they bring up a point I noticed.  On the top picture the 3rd ring is sapwood on the right and heartwood on the left in the same ring.  Plus I often note that a ring will be heartwood at the "stump" end of the stave and sapwood at the "top" end of a stave, so I always go down till it is all heartwood, full length and width.

[tom sawyer]

I noticed that too.  Its an interesting process, the conversion of sapwood to heartwood.  This is happening in what is supposed to be a dead material too.

I figure thats maybe one of the advantages of cutting in the winter, the conversion of that year's ring has been completed.