Help chasing B.L. ring

[Hillbilly]

I've noticed in ERC that the sapwood/heartwood line will often wander back and forth between several rings. It seems to be one of the funniest woods for that.

[newknapper]

Thanks for all the comments guy's. I was gonna leave the bow its original 68" and my draw is 27". I would like around a 55-60lb draw but will take what i can get, this is my second BL stave I have worked so I guess you can say I am pretty new at it. I had considerd 1 5/8' wide to mid-limb and 1/2 at nocks. That should net me atleast a 50lb draw ya think?

[tom sawyer]

Easily, and if it comes in a little light you have the length to pike it a couple of inches and gain 5+ lb.

Hillbilly yes cedar is kind of a freak as far as heartwood.  Black walnut is another one that doens't really seem to aling with a single ring but you don't see it mixed up like cedar.

It'd be interesting to find out what triggers wood that is several years old, to start accumulating these oils.  It must have some sort of molecular genetic component.  Something triggers the production of the enzymes that make the oils.  And why does a tree need heartwood?  Prevention of rot I suppose, maybe a slight increase in strength as the tree gets larger.

[newknapper]

does this look better to yall??? It's bout too dang hot here in south Ga to be doing any thing. Guess I'll get it done a little at the time.








How does these pin nots look to you guys...they ok?  I may be able to eleminate them but I wanted to make shure incase i couldnt

[sailordad]

well,ifn you can keep it narrow than that towards the tips great.

you really dont want them at the edge of the limb,could cause problems when they are at the edge of the limbs.

you might want to wait for the experts though cause i'm still pretty much learning yet,but if it was mine, i would try and eleiminate them as i taper
towards the tip.

good luck

                                                                       peace,
                                                                             tim

[newknapper]

I dont think I'll have a problem, just bieng overly cautious I guess

[Hillbilly]

That's looking good so far. Small pins like that don't usually cause a problem at all unless you cut through them chasing a ring. If they fall close to the edge, just allow a little extra width to swirl around them if you can, following the grain like water flowing around a rock.

[shamus]

You got past the sapwood and to a heart ring. That's good. I would not worry about the pin knots. They are the edge of that stave anyway, and will probably be avoided when the limb is laid out.

Nice stave you got there.

[Pat B]

Do check the direction of the pins before you remove them. If they are running perpendicular to the back you will be OK. If they run inward into the stave leave a little bit of wood around them and incorporate them into the limb. Pat

[newknapper]

Do check the direction of the pins before you remove them. If they are running perpendicular to the back you will be OK. If they run inward into the stave leave a little bit of wood around them and incorporate them into the limb. Pat

I dont quite follow ya pat. 

[tom sawyer]

Now why would you not chase the whole thing?  You'd already broke a sweat.

I usually ignore pins, they're as strong as surrounding wood.  Those won't even be on the bow.

[n2everythg]

those pin knots will be gone once you narrow the tip up to final dimensions.

looking good. Nice stave. Keep at her.
wade

[tom sawyer]

I would be personally be tempted to go down another four rings.  If you envision a crossection of 1/2" thickness, the wood on down there is going to have a better summer/spring ratio than what you're going to have where you're at now.  But you might have issues as far as limb width so I think you're safe where you're at.

[Papa Matt]

Knew~


  Lookin' good to me, 'ol boy. I love making locust bows and have never had problems with anything that looked like what you have. Should turn out real nice. Just finish chasing your growth ring that you started (which looks like a nice one) and work your stave on down. Be patient though.

~~ Matt

[bootboy]

Its always been my understanding that you dont leave any sapwood on a locust bow.  I guess I heard wrong