Spliting an Osage stave for 2 bows?

[Pete W]

I have an Osage stave with 2 bows in it, and the early wood is still on it, just the bark is removed. Should I chase this to a good ring before I split it? or shold I split first then chase it down to a good ring?
 The stave is about 10 years old and very dry.
 Pete

[broketooth]

are you saying your stave is wide enough , or deep enough to accommodate 2 staves.if its deep enough to do a belly split, start in the middle of the stave to split it. if it is wide enough chase a ring and split with a bandsaw. rv

[John Scifres]

I would chase the ring.  That way you know for sure where at least one good bow is.  Then split.  Was the bark removed after it was dry?

[Pat B]

I have good luck starting the split in the middle of the stave and split it out to both ends.
  I would remove the sapwood first then split.

[scrub-buster]

Could you post a couple of pictures of your stave.

[Pete W]

Been working on the Swap bow all day, and it is ready for shooting. All afternoon I was eyeing up that Osage.
 There is a good chance it has 3 bows in it, if I get enough nerve.A botton inside split should yield one stave, and then the outside should give up 2.more if I am lucky and carefull doing the slpiting.
 Any stave up here is like gold, and Osage is the mother load,so I don't want to miss any oportunity to get an extra bow, and at the same time I don't want 3 useless pieces.
 It seems like peeling the back to a good ring , and cleaning up a side first might be the wise way to go, then I can see  if it is 1 ,2 or 3 bow stave before I get to that point of no return.

[KellyG]

Pete once you get it down to your chosen ring post pics so other can best advise you. Better to get one then none. But I know what you mean. I took a risk and split one and it paid off and I am working on the second bow from that stave.

[Pat B]

Don't waste too much heartwood just trying to get to the perfect ring. That first one under the sapwood will work even if you have to back the bow with rawhide.

[Pete W]

It sure is nice to know experience is just a key stroke away. Tomorow I will strip it to the first ring and take a couple photos with a tape measure on the end.
Thanks guys.
 Pete

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Good advice from all the rest, but just wanted to add another piece of info from my own experience. I've drawn a line down the center of a stave where I know I can get 2 good bow blanks out of each side, then scored it with a dremel tool and a wood cutting blade so I knew the split would follow that score mark. It's just added insurance to make the split go where you want it to and not run the risk of it veering off to one side or the other. Also, belly splits aren't always fool proof either. I've had them run up and into the good heartwood too close to the back of the stave that it made the piece above the split un-usable. So a large bandsaw may be a better option than splitting?
Food for thought.

[Pete W]

Not so good now. After getting down to a good ring it shrunk. LOL
There should be two bows side by side, but as luck goes there are  a couple checks in the ends.
 It is starting to be disapointing, but there is definately 1 good bow to be had.
 Time for a break and to contemplate the options left.
 It is fun making kid bows too, so the so called waste will be put to good use.With 7 grand kids from 3 months to 10 years any pieces can be made into a bow for one of them.  

[Pat B]

Pete, end checks generally won't hurt a bow. Don't give up on it. If the stave is big enough to split, do so and make a bow from both halves.

[2treks]

Right on Pat. A little glue and wrap will make all better again. Just be sure to watch them as you split the stave so you don't pull it apart.

[scrub-buster]

How long is the stave?  You might be able to trim the end checks off.  Pictures would really help see what you are working with.

[Pat B]

I don't have osage readily available to me so I learned to use whatever I could get and make bows from it. It doesn't really take much osage to make a 50# bow.
  Pete, I think you are trying to picture a "bow" or a few " bows" in that piece of wood. If you can split it in half lengthwise do it! Make a bow with each half by removing wood from the belly until it bends the way you want and to the weight you want. It might not look like the bow you invisioned but if it will propell an arrow efficiently to the target thats all you can ask of any bow.

[Pete W]

It is a short stave unfortunately, 60". If I can lay out a couple bows before spliting, to see if I can sneak around the checks it might make 2. Right now I am letting my mind rest, and making up some strings. A fresh look is always better the next day.

[wildcat hunter]

Thats odd, a friend brought an Osage billet. It was 4 1/2" wide and 4" deep by 49". We got 3 49" bows out of it- small but not kids bows, they draw 40#, and 55# at 25".

[Pete W]

Feeling adventurous with spring here today I bit the bullet and dove in.  First thing I did was chose a location for a belly split, and made a 1" deep starter with the band saw. Then I drove a wedge in and she opened up like it was just waiting to be coached. A few wood wedges along the crack and I had a good belly split on the floor.
 The top was still a concern. Guaranteed 1 good bow or take a chance. 1 end, the large end had 2 cracks about equal distance from the edges, and the other end had 1 crack about center all 6" long.
 Back to the saw for a starter cut on the single crack end and in with the brass wedge. It poped for about 18" on the first hit. Next I taped in the wood wedges and had 2 good staves, with 1 being wider at 1 end.Best part of this split it took a straight course and ended up in the split at the other end.    This was incredible luck.
 Lots of thinking about the options again, and after a good cup of coffee I decided that the taper had to be removed at some point, so why not try to split it off instead of doing it the hard way.
I was right it was a taper on that side, and it peeled off perfectly, leaving me with a good stave equal width, 1 1/2" on each end, and a nice short stave about 36" long that will make a cool little bow for my Grand Daughters first bow.Carly is almost 2, and this piece will be perfect to make a 2 year olds bow from.

It must be my lucky day.
Pete

[okie64]

I bet you were on cloud 9 after that. Better to be lucky than good.  

[Pete W]

Now the good part can start.  I have 1 stave cleaned up and ready to go. It has a bit of character,side to side, and 1/2" natural reflex. I need to line up center, as it is out enough to call it center cut. This one cleaned up to be 1" wide, which is narrower than I like, but it is what it is. With a stave this narrow I am not sure about the limb shape to make. Should I leave it full width to about 8" to 10" from the end and taper it to 1/2" for the nocks? Next thing is the belly profile, flat with well rounded edges? or a pronounced D shape?? I am not a big fan of the D profile cross section, but we need to get the best out of the stave it can give. It also has a small worm hole 1/8" diameter in the back, dead center, about a foot from 1 end.I am thinking I should clean out the hole, soak it with CA glue, then fill it with clear epoxy before I start bending it.
 So much to learn.
Pete