thoughts on ash stave

[oneraindog]

hello i am new to the forum. well, ive spent most of my time looking, this is my first post

anyway, i started a primitive skills apprenticeship in october and we are now moving in to bow making. yesterday we drew numbers for picking staves and i got first.

i picked an ash stave that looks large enough to split in two for a piggy back bow which is nice.

what im trying NOT to do is regretting not picking a nice vine maple stave.

i would like to hear any thoughts on the pro's and cons of ash and what to expect or be wary of in the bow making. i would also love to hear that i made a good choice haha. or if i SHOULD regret not picking the maple  :(

there is also some twist to the stave. propeller twist i think it is called. does that get straightened out or does a bow always have that if it starts that way?

a million questions and i cant be calling my instructor every 5 minutes so im turning to you guys haha.

thanks for the time

[Pat B]

Ash makes a very good bow. For a 28" draw go 66" to 68" long, 1 1/2" wide at the fades and out 8" or so before tapering to 1/2" tips(to be reduced to 3/8" or less later). I prefer a symmetric lay out with the center of the handle the center of the bow. Make a mark 2" on either side of center for your 4" handle and 1 1/2" to 2" for the fades; where the handle "fades" into the limbs.