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Ash bow from spliced stave: Thoughts on design?

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simk:
Hi
Good ash can do almost any design - and yours doesen't look too bad. It might take a little set which can be remvoed later by heat treating. A good heat treating after 95% of the tillering is done is recommended from my side. Pyramid is not a bad idea either - its the easiest design  to tiller imho, in fact it tillers itself  :D Your splice looks perfect!
cheers

look here for an ash-example (this one is built on the edge tough...)
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,71286.0.html

MattCav:

--- Quote from: bentstick54 on August 30, 2022, 09:32:25 am ---What is G-flex? I’m not familiar with the term.

--- End quote ---

It's a [relatively] flexible epoxy, able to expand an contract with inherent wood movement if necessary. There are some gap filling properties to it as well, though did my best to limits gaps in general! You can see more about it here https://www.westsystem.com/specialty-epoxies/gflex-650-toughened-epoxy/


--- Quote from: simk on August 30, 2022, 09:50:24 am ---Hi
Good ash can do almost any design - and yours doesen't look too bad. It might take a little set which can be remvoed later by heat treating. A good heat treating after 95% of the tillering is done is recommended from my side. Pyramid is not a bad idea either - its the easiest design  to tiller imho, in fact it tillers itself  :D Your splice looks perfect!
cheers

look here for an ash-example (this one is built on the edge tough...)
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,71286.0.html

--- End quote ---

Simk - That's a lovely bow! I'd certainly like to try to do something like that, if not on this one, then on the next. What's the width of the limbs at the fades? And you mention that it's built on the edge, but it looks like it's on one ring to me - am I missing something from the photos?

simk:
Hello Matt
the limbs on my bow are approx. 1 3/4"at the widest part. To make myself a little more clear  ;) "on the edge" should mean it's built to the limits of the wood (sorry, english is not my first language). Generally ash is a very good and reliable wood for starters but its not very responsive compared to the premium woods - to me it seems its got noticably more hysteresis; this can be improved some by good heat treatment tough. Heat treatement will also reduce the risk of chrysals.
Wish you fun and success with your first build!

MattCav:
Ah, got it.

Well, considering those limits, I'll try for something more conservative to start. I'm thinking for this first bow I'll try for 66" long, with a 12" handle section, 1-3/4" at the fades, tapering to 5/8". Seems like that should give plenty of room for a straightforward tiller, but of course, we'll see.

If you guys are suspect about any of those dimensions, by all means, please weigh in!

Hilongbow:
Aloha Matt,

I made my first ash selfbow a couple years ago and posted it here http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=67374.0
Sorry, its a long read, but if you skip down to the bottom you can see my final specs. I think you are in a great position to get better results than I got. However, I think that the front profile looks really nice, and it shoots sweetly and accurately. I don't think white ash is the best wood for bows, but it holds a special place in my heart.

If I were to do it again, I would definitely have left it a tad wider and several inches longer (I had to shorten it due to knots). During shoot-in, hundreds (if not thousands) of chrysals showed up, but I've taken hundreds of shots and the specs/profile haven't changed. I think the extra length and width would have prevented them.

I'm looking forward to seeing your finished product!

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