Bow Stave Advice

[caliban]

Hi! I'm looking for advice on making a bow. I've got an ash stave which I've planed down on the belly side to about half it's width. The center has a couple of "runs" of crumbly wood. Is this normal? Should I just plane it down past these sections or is it no good?

Seems like a nice stave otherwise though

 

[dwardo]

The crumbly stuff just looks like the pith from the middle of the sapling.

Its looks like ash? You will probably find that you will remove the pith when you are tillering unless your after a very heavy bow. If the bow is going to have a none working handle then the pith left can be hidden with a leather grip. It does look like a very nice straight stave so you should be onto a winner

If its fresh cut i would go as far as roughing out the bow to a bow shape leaving the tips wider than needed. The smaller the mass the quicker it will dry. I leave mine in the garage for a week or two them move it indoors. Only start bending it when its dry

I find the best way to stop you taking the stave too far whilst green is to go out and find another stave like this and get that down to rough bow dimensions. This will give you something to do whilst this one is drying.

 

[caliban]

"Pith", cheers Dwardo! I've been drying it and reducing it a bit for about three weeks now. I didn't try bending it until this afternoon and it's bending a bit now, but I'll leave it for a while yet.

It's got a few crosswise knots that seem a bit iffy though.

 

[caliban]

"Pith", cheers Dwardo! I've been drying it and tillering it a bit for about three weeks now. I didn't try bending it until this afternoon and it's bending a bit now, but I'll leave it for a while yet then.

It's got a few crosswise knots that seem a bit iffy though.

 

[dwardo]

Try to go around knots leaving plenty of wood around them. Staves can look a bit scary at this point but it will come into line once you start removing wood

If its three weeks old its time to move it indoors. A warm room but not over a radiator etc. If you have some scales start weighing it. Once it stops loosing weight for a few days it should be near cooked