So how do you make a belly split and not screw up the whole stave? I tried once and the split ran out on me and all I had left was a kids bow. I have a few large staves that I want to either split down the middle or make belly splits first and then split the outer half down the middle. Is this asking too much? Should I just be content with one bow per stave and cut more trees. They have no bark or sapwood and are about 5" across and 4-5" deep. I might need to go down a ring or so but shouldn't loose much width. How do you do it on your staves?
TroutGuide
Use a wood chisel and drive it in an early growth ring on one end about 2" below the back. Once in the grain should begin to seperate and come apart along that early ring. Working a screw driver, the chisel or another type of prying tool along the length to serpeate the belly split.
Is your stave dry? That seems to matter.
I use a wood chisel too. Jawge
Once I get a split started, I use wood wedges driven in the split as it travels the length of the stave to pop it loose. These are left over from my billet splicing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/osagewedges.jpg)
I use 4 or 5 screw drivers, Start on both ends and work to the middle in an early growth ring. Just get the screw driver in deep enough to stay at first and then drive in each screw driver a little at a time until split is started good from one end to the other. Some woods like mulberry and locus when dry will jump rings quit easy. I haven't had one do it since I started doing it this way. If the wood is to soft to split with a screw driver I change to wedges like eric is showing.
Anyone tried this with a wood like black cherry. My staves have tight rings and I don't think it will split along a ring, but I could be wrong. I have a couple of staves that I want to try this on. I hate to loose all that good wood.
Thanks Guys! The wood is frest cut and I am wanting to reduce to size as soon as possible but if it works better with seasoned wood I will set ti aside and work on something else. What is better to split like this? Wet or Dry?
TroutGuide
Wet has worked well for me.
I made one today and used my hatchet to start it in the end of the stave and then the thin metal handle to split down hiting the head with a light sledge. Worked well enough in this green wood. I dont have as many pieces to split as I was hopeing because they all have crazy grain. I just hope to make the staves into one bow at this point.
Thanks for the replys
Troutguide