Vinemaple rings

[BBowBuilder]

Hey all! been along time since I've frequented this site, but just now I'm starting to get serious about building bows. So I've got a beautiful vine maple stave that i cut a few days ago, and i might have messed it up...i hope not. While i was debarking the back i violated it by cutting a couple rings deep on accident. So for all you vine maple veterans...is this stave compromised? I've heard vine maple is nearly impossible to chase rings on, and I've also heard that vine maple is so tension strong that it doesn't matter if there isn't one continuous ring along the back. Any help would be awesome! Thanks

grant

[Peacebow_Coos]

I remember Bryce saying VM will take some violating, I've never done it myself but my tribe has an Allely bow that is decrowned but with rings feathering down the back and I don't think he'd make an unfunctional bow...

[wizardgoat]

Ive made a couple vine maples with slightly violated spots.
When in doubt, back it with something light.
If you roughed it out already, clamp it to something right away.
VM wanders real bad, especially the tension side

[BBowBuilder]

i haven't roughed them out yet, just split them and sealed the ends with tite bond. So when you say the tension side...is this usually the side the stave has reflex in? or the top side as it sits growing? Thanks

[bradsmith2010]

probably wouldnt hurt to clamp a little reflex in as you go

[DC]

i haven't roughed them out yet, just split them and sealed the ends with tite bond. So when you say the tension side...is this usually the side the stave has reflex in? or the top side as it sits growing? Thanks

Topside as it was growing.

[randman]

I've seen lots of 3"-4" dia. vine maple branches growing perfectly horizontal for 30'. Those are the ones I go after. The topside of the branch is the tension side and when you split it, that will also be the side with reflex. In fact, if you split it or rough it to shape, and debark it fresh cut green (something I've done on every camping trip), you need to strap it down or it will turn into a crab bow. No need to clamp in any reflex, it'll make it's own. I prefer to leave the staves for a couple of weeks before doing any splitting or roughing. Then it will still be wet enough to work like green wood and the bark will still come off easy but you wont get as wild a reflex. You'll still get some.

[Weylin]

feather out the violation and back it with rawhide. That's what I'd try to do anyway.

[BBowBuilder]

Thanks for all the help guys! All the tips  can get the better!