I just spent many hours trying to rough out the taper on one limb of a maple board bow, and I have a long way to go. I typically only see draw knives mentioned when working staves, but will one work for board bows?
Thanks!
BTW, just got Paul Comstock's "The Bent Stick". Great read and very informative.
Sure, I've used drawknives on boards. Be careful about it digging into the wood. If it does attack the wood from the other side. Jawge
A rasp would be much better most often.
I have a 4-in-1 rasp that I used for about two hours on the board, man that was tough. I guess I should also seek out a good farriers rasp.
My sie may help you.
Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
I've been using a spoke shaver on red oak and walnut boards. It works pretty well. Way faster than the rasp and hardly any tool marks to clean up.
GA
Yes. Like Jawge said, if it takes too big a bite cut from the opposite direction. Take your time. The drawknife works well for taking off a lot of wood on a board bow. I picked up a pretty good farrier's rasp from a farm and feed store for about $12. It takes wood off pretty quickly and is easy to use.
Another option is the Shinto rasp (http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=15%2E410%2E52&dept_id=12881) . They have a coarse and a fine side and take wood off like a rabid beaver yet remain very controllable.
Guy
Go grab a small plane. It makes short work tapering the sides and the belly can be done too starting at the edges and moving into the center.
HAHA Rabid Beaver. Nice description.
I'm with Nim-rod, i used a small plane for the boards that i did, worked nicely. Be careful of direction: one way works fine, turn the other way and it digs wood out, never figured out how do predict which way was correct other than a trial run both ways on the board. Get close to your lines with the plane and zero in with rasp/scraper.
Good luck with it!