Ash selfbows

[LittleBen]

Just got my hands on some nice clean billets of ash. We got a load of log-length ash here for firewood but it was cut down to 24" sections before I had a chance to select any out. Fortunately my brother in law cut one section much too long, and I believe I can make a few bows

My questions are these:

How can I tell what type of ash it is? It has darker heartwood, and light colored sapwood, and is more than half heartwood.

Does it matter what type of ash it is?

Anyone with experience wanna share your dimensions for a straight limb selfbow? I will probably heat temper the bow into a smooth even reflex but will be D shaped when strung.

I have 3 sets of bullets so I, planning to do one ELB, one reflexed flat bow, and maybe one recurve.

[John Scifres]

I've made 3 ash selfbows. But they were my 5th through 7th bows so I don't know how I would do with it after a couple hundred osage bows    

Here's the buildalong for one (circa 2000):

  Stalking Tiller Live II

[PEARL DRUMS]

Hopefully its white ash Ben, Most of the others on our side of the river aren't good bow wood. Ash likes width, length, tempering and trapping to keep set down. Take your pick as to which best fits each bow you want. An ELB might be a toughy. At least my idea of an ELB. Which is a shallow D cross section, maybe 1.25" wide.

[LittleBen]

The ELB is my least concern, it can be 30lbs .... One set of billets is very narrow and otherwise will be scrap.

[LittleBen]

John thanks for the link, I just read through it. Looks like you kept the limbs near 2" for a good portion of their length

[John Scifres]

Yes it was a pretty standard overbuilt whitewood design.

[Whitetail Addict]

I'm going to get off my butt one of these days and try my hand at a white ash flatbow. I've studied TBB 1 and done a lot of reading here, but have no actual experience. Thanks for your post LittleBen, I'll be following it with interest. Thanks for your link too John, I've been impressed with your bows, you do beautiful work.

Bob

[John Scifres]

I just realized I posted the one I broke    

Here' the one that survived:      Stalking Tiller Live III

[PEARL DRUMS]

White ash makes a good backing. If you have some narrow billets, maybe you could rip some 1.5" wide backers from them?

[LittleBen]

Chris it's funny you say that I've been thinking about doing exactly that! I was even wondering if you could rip the ash into single growth rings like is done for basket making and use a single growth ring strip as a backing .... Doing that I might get quite a few strips and still have a usable billet.

[LittleBen]

How do I tell if it's white ash vs black ash?

[PEARL DRUMS]

That I cant answer Benny. Maybe a small bend test?

[Zradix]

Maybe this will help?...


  http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/white-ash/  

  http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/black-ash/

[canopyboy]

Hah, my first bow was a board bow out of white ash. Kinda, I had a thick enough board of quarter-sawn that I was able to chase a ring. Even though I had more board to work with, I made it too narrow. It settled in about 35# or so and about 4" of string follow.

So I second the wider profile and maybe the tempering. (Didn't even know what tempering was then.)

Ahhh, the memories!

[LittleBen]

Good advice Dave. I'm thinking I'll make it like 64" and 2" wide for 50# @ 25". If that wont suffice then its firewood after all. Also will heat temper

[PEARL DRUMS]

Perfect recipe Ben. If its good wood, it will be fine.

[Roy from Pa]

White ash is white and black ash is black.. Purty simple huh?    

[canopyboy]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
White ash is white and black ash is black.. Purty simple huh?      

That's what they want you to believe...