Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Lakota on October 09, 2012, 11:07:52 pm
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do I need to chase a ring on slippery elm stave about four inches in diameter.
Thanks for any input.
Lakota
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no just peal the bark and thats your back.
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What he said!
(If the log has some heartwood and you are really inclined to use this heartwood in your bow, you could theoretically chase a ring to include some heartwood. Ring chasing elm is not easy, though.)
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Elm is allot like Hickory in the sense that the grain is interlocking . That's why they used it for wagon wheel hubs. I would think it would take forever and a day to chase a ring , but if you wanted to ,you could likely decrown it with little fear of a violated back. If there isn't any damage under the bark I would go with that . Not much point in doing more work than you need to. IMHO.Others may have more or different experiences than I ,and I look forward to seeing more responses to this post.
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I'm new to this and really have no pertinent advice. But I'm also old so that gives me? Hmmm, Sorry I can't remember what we were talking about.
OK, I'm back. I've never produced an elm bow (yet) but have tried and IMO skinning the bark seemed like walking in your sleep compared to splitting it and trying to chase rings.
I've got a few hanging on the wall drying and waiting for spring. I'd use the remove the bark and cambium layer method.
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Elm can tend to have allot of paper thin rings. Chasing those is impossible. Nobody can do it. And because of the quality of fiber in the wood, you can violate allot of rings and still have a good bow. No need to chase a ring, just try to keep the back true to all the dips and curves the wood naturally has.
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I know what you're talkin bout sleek. The elm bow i posted here a few weeks ago that's in progress is like that. I kept looking at the end of the stave thinking I was ring blind, then i figured out they're just really thin, a lot like a high quality yew stave. I had debarked it just fine, but those outer rings were so thin that even light sanding made it look like there were violations all over the place when i stained it. I guess technically they are, but not consequential (so far!!).
Looks almost identical to coaster's bow here:
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Bow%20trade%202012%20TG%20and%20PA/YewTradeBow2012015.jpg (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Bow%20trade%202012%20TG%20and%20PA/YewTradeBow2012015.jpg)