DAY TWO:
On and off the job all afternoon!
The staves are ready to chase a ring on but first I need to deal with the checks in the wood at the end of the staves. These checks were caused by drying. The ends were sealed with shellac when they were cut but the ends still checked on the back of the staves but, not on the very ends???
This checking under the bark is another good reason to have staves 70" or more. You will still have length you can remove on each end and end up with a stave long enough for a bow.
Here you can see the checks that were not visible until the bark was removed. The checks or drying damage on one of the staves is around 6" long and needs removed.
I mark the stave with a pencil on the ends where the damage ends (away from the tip) and the good wood begins. Then measure from the 1st mark to the other end of the stave where the damage begins agian. At that time you'll know how long of a stave you have and decide how long to make each stave. Then I use a handsaw to cut the ends off at the pencil marks.
Here they are, all 4 staves cut to length and the checks removed. They are as follows 68", 67", 66" & 64" long.
Now that the staves have had their length reduced, it's time to chase the rings for each bows backing.
At first to chase a ring, I will stand a stave upright on the floor and clamp the top of the stave into the vise. Starting at the end or top of the stave, I'll use the drawknife with the beveled side down to remove a ring or two rings depending,,, to get down to my chosen ring. Once on top of the chosen ring, I chase that ring down each side of the stave.
Here I have outlined with a pencil the upper ring I am removing. I remove each side then go down the middle. Trying to only go 6" or 10" at a time.
A good light or the right light angle is criticle for seeing the rings during this process. I find that the natural sunlight is best for this step. Being inside, I have a movable light source so I can move the light for the best veiw of the rings.
Once I have gone 12" to 18", I'll clamp the stave in the vise horizontaly to finish chasing the ring.
Once you've cleared the ring you want to chase, move the stave further up and into the vise. This keeps your work close to the vise and the light. The further away you work area is from the vise allows the wood stave to bounce and you'll have less control using the drawknife.
Continue using the drawknife beveled side down to chase the ring. Beveled side down allows for more control. Less wood is apt to be removed at any one pull on the DK preventing the DK from digging in and penetrating the chosen ring. Simply find the angle of the blade that when pulled on stedily, provides a lifting, sort of chattering of the wood as the upper ring pops loose from the ring you're chasing.
Topic: Hand tools & Osage bows (Read 4708 times)
