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What to do with this sapling?

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parspektiv	What to do with this sapling?	Lead	[-]
Posts: 37 (05/07/09 11:50 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Dear bowyers! I havn´t got the time to work this rowan (mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia) sapling right now, but it is always exciting to hear other peoples opinions. It is 80" long, about 2" in diameter, pretty free from knots. What would you do with it?
dutchwarbow		#1	[-]
Posts: 268 (05/07/09 12:58 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I dislike rowan, but it may work for you Nick
Oengus		#2	[-]
Posts: 112 (05/07/09 5:34 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Ok, having looked up a bit about what sort of wood your particular type of Rowan is, I'd do a few things. First, I'd cut the length down somewhat to maybe 72" and set my target weight to maybe 50#. Your type of Rowan is pretty weak, but from the picture it looks pretty smooth and free of twists and knots, so I'd try a D bow, so the handle bend means the wood isn't stressed much. Apart from that, I'd do a bit of heat treating to line the tips up and then I'd go from there. Someone more knowledgeable than me feel free to correct any mistakes I might be making in the design process. What happened to the Spaniards/ That made so great a boast-o?/ Well they shall eat the feathered goose;/ We shall eat the roast-o! - Oysterband, Hal-An-Tow
parspektiv		#3	[-]
Posts: 38 (05/07/09 8:28 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Thank you for that, Oengus! A d-bow sounds like a good idea, and I´ve actually never made one. Nick, why do you dislike rowan? I have not made up my mind about it yet, as I have only used it twice for bows. The first one was pretty dense (for being rowan), and made a good bow, not very wide. The second one turned out to be very light, and the 2" wide, flat belly got cryshals before even using the short tiller string.
sumpitan		#4	[-]
Posts: 702 (05/09/09 8:32 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	There seems to be basically three kinds of Sorbus aucuparia: one that chrysals all over the place, another that follows the string two to three inches after a thorough breaking in despite generous limb surface area, and the highly rare specimen with decent compression strength. Guys who go with rowan simply keep on making a new one as the previous sticks bow out (heh). A thin rowan sapling with serious compound kinks is not worth the trouble, IMHO. Narrow by necessity, it'd be a workout just to maintain the lateral stability of a bow made from that mess. Yeah, tons of heat-treating, adjusting and readjusting might make a working, lightweight D-bow, but the woods are awash with far better, far easier bow stock. Tuukka
Fundin		#5	[-]
Posts: 1920 (05/10/09 8:48 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I had a smaller sapling of rowan, 72"ntn 1" wide at the middle, made a nice 40#@28", think I gave it away though
Tinney		#6	[-]
Posts: 56 (05/10/09 9:11 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I dont know anything about the wood, but what about a natural reflex-deflex? looks good to me if you just cut down the top limb a little. But who am I to be giving advice? LOL

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Traditional Bowyer's Bible Books By Jim Hamm