need help

[65x55 swedis]

i have bought two boards. a piece of black walnut 6 feet long and a inch deep and 4 inches wide. i also have a peace of hickory only difference is it is 6 1/2 inches wide. i want to turn the walnut into a holgared and the hickory into a 2 long bows. any advice on thickness on the limbs and how wide should they be? anything i should know about how to work it and what to stay away from? all advice is apreciated
thanks everyone

[Canoe]

Howdy Swedis,

You didn't describe the grain, just any board won't make a bow - it's all about the grain.

If it's perfect grain, you could make three long bows with 6-1/2" wide board.  That's a stiff handled ALB, 1-3/4" wide each.  As far as thicknesses, you want the handle(s) to be about 1-1/4" square, (then you can round / shape the handles).

I've read that a Holgaared bow is very challenging to make (to tiller), and that it's not forgiving. 

So, if you are just starting out, a Holgaared is like jumping into the deep end of the pool to learn to swim.  You'll learn a lot by trying to make (and tiller) a bend-through-handle bow or an ALB - be sure to back your bow(s) (silk or linen or...). 

Follow some of the Build-Alongs / guides on this site, and you'll be well on your way.
And Enjoy!!

all the best,
Canoe

[65x55 swedis]

ok thanks i will and the grain is very good i will try to get some pic of it to help tonight

[Jesse]

George on this site has very good info here.    http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[65x55 swedis]

here are all the black walnut pics


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[65x55 swedis]

and here is the hickory

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[M-P]

Hi,  The WALNUT BOARD SHOWS A LARGE KNOT IN THE UPPER 1/3!  All that beautiful grain pattern means that the grain is NOT ideal for making a self bow.  If you cut your bow blank from the left hand side of the board and then back the stave, you can still make a nice bow.  I would not try a holmgaard though.  The inner limbs on a holmgaard are highly stressed and this is not a very good piece of bow wood.  Try a pyrimidal design instead, with a maximum width of ~ 2 inches.  (All my opinion, of course.)
The hickory looks much better to me.  Although there is some feathering of the grain on the face, grain violations appear minor and I see no grain run out at the edges.  If you want to be bold I suspect you could get 3 usable bows from this board.   Six and 1/2 inches allows you to cut three 2 inch staves from this board even allowing for the saw kerfs.  Check out the build alongs or get some advice from someone with more hickory experience on best width before cutting though.  I also suggest that this is a much better bet for making a holmgaard.
Ron