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White ash, how heavy?

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Pat B:
Should it be a true deep rounded belly or slightly oval with a flatter cross section?

DarkSoul:
I know European ash tends to be slightly better than American white ash. But good European ash is capable of 120# I'd say. Maybe a bit more even. American ash can undoubtedly show large variations in density as well. So your best piece of American white ash might very well reach European ash. All I'm trying to say: ash can show large variations in density and strength.
Ash is excellent in tension, but not so great in compression. I'd go for a flattish belly and a crowned (or trapped) back. Monitor set closely as you tiller. When set dramatically increases, it's likely you're pushing the drawweight too much. Ash takes excessive amounts of set, rather than breaking. So when set kicks in by the time you're thinking "but I'm still miles away from my drawlength or -weight!" then you need to lower your drawweight. I'd rather have a 90# low set bow, than a 120# bow with 4" of set.

Ian.:
Alan only used American ash

youngbowyer:
more of a square cross section i would say. im excited to see what weight you can get out out this bow. This forum is dying, there are no bows being posted anymore! I'm currently working on a yew warbow, shooting for 70lbs.

CraigMBeckett:
Ian,


--- Quote ---Alan only used American ash
--- End quote ---

Yes you are correct and I was wrong, Alan states he used "kiln dried American Ash" on his Back Street Bowyer pages.

Funny that you would have thought that living in the UK European Ash would have been easier to come by.

Just goes to show.

Pat B,

Allan states that he has made a 120lb bow from "kiln dried American Ash" and that he believes this is about the limit. Have a look at his  backstreet bowyer pages.

http://www.alanesq.com/longbow/bsb/The-Back-Street-Bowyer-262.pdf

Craig.

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