Hi, I am new to the traditional bow world, I have just been reading about it but I think I'm in for the long haul. I want to try to make a bow from a piece of kiln dried wood from a lumber yard. I have seen three different things on the web about picking a board. One being you should use plain sawn, the other quarter sawn and the last one saying it doesn't matter. Can anyone help with this? Thanks in Advance
Check out the Ferret's web page. He's got a section on building board bows, and sections on about everything else primitive.
http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage
Best advise to offer you is go to the search engine above and look for Ferrets site or George T's, there are more self help sites from members here that covers A-Z on board bows and many, other subjects.
A reading source would be the second Vol. of The Trad Bowyers bible, but if you are going to buy one book get the other two. Good late night reading!
Best of luck.
Neil, I am a slower typer than you are obviously.
I know a lot of folks have been successful making board bows. However, it's not clear whether they're using air dried or kiln dried wood. Though I've never used kiln dried wood for bow making, I've found it much more susceptible to breaking than air dried wood when I steam and bend it for making canoe stems and gunwales. I'v always used air dried staves for all my self bows. Good luck.
Thanks guys I appreciate the help, I was reading some different books the trad Bowyers Bible I & II and I wanted to try a board bow. I am just not sure I am understanding the grain/growth ring thing. I am thinking plain sawn is the way to go.
Kiln dried is fine and it doesn't matter which cut you select. There's stuff on my site. I don't think I can post it anymore though. Jawge
Thanks, Kevin. 97, it's on the How to section. Jawge