Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Moe Shetty on February 22, 2023, 11:44:22 am
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Does a billet with very thin growth rings make a better bow than one with thicker growth rings? I have a piece of Osage that's difficult to chase the ring, I hope it's worth it.
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I like thin ringed osage. Try your best to get a good, clean back ring if you can. If not add a rawhide backing.
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I agree with Mr. Brennan. Tight ringed wood seems to be more resilient. You really notice that when you make a whitewood sapling bow(s).
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+2 for what they said. It’s worth it it’s just more tricky to do.
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Well I was on the same page as Pat for some years but have since changed my views. Thin ringed Osage will make a good bow. But as I have learned more about early wood . I’ve changed my thinking.
The early wood is weaker and I think it allows set to happen easier. But f you are chasing performance it matters. If not Osage is still the king. Arvin
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Arvy, Is there a difference between 4 rings of early wood a 1/16" thick and 8 rings a 1/32 thick? It's still the same amount of early wood either way, right?
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It’s all about the early to late wood ratio in my opinion. Thin ringed osage makes fine bows, provided it has a decent ratio. I always rawhide back them… not because they need them to stay together but because it gives a hard layer of protection to keep thin rings from taking a deep enough scratch/gouge while hunting to violate them.
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I'm skeptical about the whole thing... maybe it makes a difference, but the variation in timber possibly makes it irrelevant.
I see it lkie having a sandwich... if you have two thick bits of bread with a nice thick slice of beef between is it any better than 3 thin slices of bread with 2 thin slices of beef?
Damn, why am I hungry now? ::)
Del :)
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I like my steak medium well and my rings medium. :) Jawge
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Pearl I think there is a lot happening in the early wood during the drawing of a bow. I think this is the sheer point for the wood. I also think that it may compress some too. I think that when there is no evidence of belly fractures set might be happening in the early ring. To your question about amount of rings I will say the ideal rings are in my opinion is three 1/8” late rings and two early rings 1/16 or thinner early rings. This balances the sheer if it happens and gives you a even ratio. Also the rings would have same thickness thru out the bow. This is all my opinion and can’t prove any of it. Just common sense to me after lots of bows and info from this site. None Of this is important unless you are chasing speed. Bows with set are still good bows just not super bows. Finding those ideal ring staves is like looking for a needle in a hay stack though. Happy bow building to all.
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Okay I have to ask the novice question here. When you say early wood to late wood ratio are you talking about the thickness of the early and late wood rings being the same?
I’ve seen people talking about this several times and just got to show my ignorance and ask.
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In my opinion! The more early wood you have . The less performance. Lets say that the late ring is 50 thousandths and early ring is 15 thousandths. That’s would be what I consider a great ratio.
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Muskyman, here is an example of late wood (darker) to early wood ( lighter). The deeper in this stave you go, the better the ratio. The darker late wood is thicker than the lighter early wood. For the style of bows, and the general purpose for which I use them, I would chase down to the 1st late wood ring I could get to without violating it. I do not glue on handles, so that limits how deep into the stave I can go. My bows have all come in between 165 to 170 fps with 9gpp arrows, have taken 1” to 1-1/2” set. They shoot well and hunt good, which is all I’m after.
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Arvin, the few super thick pieces of Osage I have come across so far, which is rare, if you look real close, seem to be made up of almost micro thin ring within the thick ( late wood) rings. What’s you experience?
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My understanding is that is lunar rings. Makes sense till you count them.🤠And then there is the month or months of the early ring it’s self. Good question!
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Do you still consider the wide ones as 1 late wood ring, or are the different? Do you think they react the same?
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So if I’m looking for a near perfect Osage stave a 3 to 1 ratio of late wood to early wood would be a pretty good ratio. Would 4 to 1 be better?
I’m not planning on turning anything I cut into fire wood but would definitely set a prime piece aside. I’d have to go and look but I’m pretty sure most of what I have now is more 1 to 1 but some might be 2 to 1. Next time I’m in my shed I’m gonna take a look at my Osage staves and see what they look like. I’m hoping to get some more Osage harvested soon.
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I’ve cut a notch in the bottom of the trunk before I cut the whole tree down to check out the rings. Sometimes passing on the tree. But any ratio on Osage makes a good bow. But 1-3 or 1-4 is real good in my opinion.
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Musk man, I’ve made what I consider good bows from 1 to 1 ratio but would definitely prefer 2 to 1 or greater. The greater the % of late wood the better in most opinions.
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If the early to latewood ratio appears "bad" then I leave the bow a little wider. Jawge
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My personal thoughts. Just use what you have in your stash and don't think that somehow perfect rings don't make a good osage bow and don't get paranoid about what the ring ratio or "lunar" rings look like. I've made at least 200 osage bows with every grain configuration you can imagine and in the end they were 200 osage bows just the same. I'm not discounting anybody's comment's or thoughts, just don't get out on a cliff edge for nothing is what I'm trying to say. Build bows, have fun and shoot those bows.
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My personal thoughts. Just use what you have in your stash and don't think that somehow perfect rings don't make a good osage bow and don't get paranoid about what the ring ratio or "lunar" rings look like. I've made at least 200 osage bows with every grain configuration you can imagine and in the end they were 200 osage bows just the same. I'm not discounting anybody's comment's or thoughts, just don't get out on a cliff edge for nothing is what I'm trying to say. Build bows, have fun and shoot those bows.
I agree.
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That’s how I approach it. I work with what I cut down.
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I agree as well. I really never had a thought about tossing my stash of staves. I’ll make a bow from all of it . Just will keep an eye out for pieces with a really good ratio and stash those for me.
Also didn’t mean to hi jack Moes thread, so sorry about that Moe.
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If in doubt leave it wider. Bowyers capable of chasing 1/16" rings (I can't) leave it wider. :)
Jawge