Just got these from 3rivers and was wondering what you guys think. One is 1/4-rift sawn while the other is flat. Would you guys use the flat sawn slat or should I send it back and try to get better.  The bow will be backed with Hickory 5/32nds.

 

Are those billet length, to be joined together and used in the same bow? If so, I've never seen two pieces so mismatched. That one's got some pretty serious runout as well.

If they're full length, two bows worth, I'd just use them.

Yeh they came as a pair from 3rivers. I can see why they are on sale. I think I will bundle them back to them and try to get a pair that are more evenly matched. Ring density, orientation and face pattern are about as different as you could get.

They're probanly thick enough to rip the, in half and get one bow out of each.

Not very good slats razor. Send it back and get something better, if you can. That's the problem with slats. VERY few people will take good straight osage and hack it into slats. Except Roybert, but he is "off" a bit.

Already spoke to 3Rivers and told them I would be returning them. Hopefully the next person who bundles a set of slats will match them up better. 2 like the 1/4 sawn one would be nice.

All of the slats I received look like the picture of the slat on the right. Hoping that the grain orientation will be alright if I rip one slat in half and use the same slat for one bow.

I do the same as Ben suggested; rip 'em and splice those halves.  You end up with a 1/4" thick belly lam.  But I add either a core lam or power lam to get the total thickness I need.
Don't blame you for sending that flat/rift sawn one back.  Sure has a lot of wavy grain.  The ones I've bought usually have some run off, but not as bad as that.

Send them back.

... or you could rip them each in half, splice like pieces together, and make a trilam. That would work.

The right one yes, left one no.

Bet me. Both of em together in the same bow.

Send em here, I'll show ya how    

Sure the crappy one in the core lam....

If I can get 1/4" slats and 5/32" backing of hickory, what thickness of core and species would be good for a trials. Thinking cherry for contrast

Cherry would be fine.  I've used cherry, walnut, red elm, and maple for cores.  I like to start at 5/8" or 9/16" total thickness and taper the core to end up 7/16" at the tips.  That will give you plenty of wood for a 50 pound bow.
If Roy weighs in, he can probably get you within 1/64" of what you'll need.    

I wouldn't use them from what I can see.

Yeah they sure didn't do you any favors. I'm just saying they could probably make a bow if you wanted to mess around with it.

Slat/billets are best cut from the same board, one on top of the other, with little to no runout.

One thing I have learned is to make your bow out of the  best piece of wood you can get. Very straight grain with zero run out swirls. Elm makes a great core lam, walnut is ok. Even a suspect piece of Osage will work for a core lam. Osage belly, Osage core lam, backed with boo makes a sweet bow. Make the belly lam 1/4" parallel,  the core lam 1/4" tapered to 1/8th at tips. Hickory backing 1/8th parallel. The hickory backing needs to be very straight grained.

Thanks guys. Maybe I'll resaw both pieces and use the flat sawn sections for the core and the 1/4 sawn pieces for the belly. The Hickory I have is very straight and has backed several bows. I'll study the pieces a little more closely and see what I can come up with.

May still just send them back.

Roy where do you get your billets from.