This weekend I began work on a white ash blank that my father gave me. More accurately, he ran to the local lumber yard, picked out a board, and cut me a blank on his bandsaw. I think he got a little too excited because the blank is not so hot for making a longbow. The grain isn't quite straight and the back is by no means one continuous growth ring. Still, I figured I'd work it just to get the feel of the wood on my drawknife, fully expecting to maim the blank. To my surprise I did have some success. The limbs are both about floor tillered with even bend throughout. Maybe the old man knew what he was doing. Now I feel a little invested in this piece and I would like to see it survive.
I made the judgement early on that if this bow is going to survive it's definitely going to need a backing. I have access to hickory, so I figured I'll use that, but I'm open to other suggestions. Also, should I back the bow now before I move ahead with further tillering, or should I keep removing wood and praying that the back doesn't give way? I'm open to any and all suggestions.
Use quartersawn hickory and back it now before tillering. If I thought a bow would survive tillering without backing, I wouldn't back it at all. Do you have any pics? What about specs on the blank as well as draw length and weight you are going for? Good luck.
Thanks. That's what I thought. I don't have pics or specs but I should be able to find time to get them by the end of the week. I'm going for 40# at 28".
Biggest problem I think folks make using boards for bows is that they give no thought to the wood's moisture content. Wood may be dry and it may not. You certainly hear of a lot of board bows taking on a excessive amounts of set. Tillering skills could be a big part of the problem, but using square stock good tiller would be much easier to achieve ,than say, using a stave.
Might be wise, get your bow floor tillered, and take inside the house to where you have better enviromental controls for about a week or so before tillering out........Art
Thanks for all the tips. I'm starting to think hickory might not be way way to go. I do have some ash available so I might go with that.