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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: macbow on June 20, 2015, 09:17:00 AM

Title: Best way to saw log?
Post by: macbow on June 20, 2015, 09:17:00 AM

When taking a,log to the mill what is,the best cut for laminated wood bows?
Rift , flat, quarter?

Title: Re: Best way to saw log?
Post by: Pat B on June 20, 2015, 10:53:00 AM

Ron, each one will have a different grain configuration. On my Treadway bow Mike put edge grain elm on the belly and flat grain elm on the back sort of a camo effect. I really don't think it matters under glass. Edge grain or bias grain for wood lam bows.

Title: Re: Best way to saw log?
Post by: J.F. Miller on June 20, 2015, 10:58:00 AM

if you are talking core woods for backed wooden bows or tri-lams, any grain orientation will work, with quarter sawn being the most desirable  because it is the most stable and predictable, but it has to be clean. whenever I have osage logs sawn for board stock I take them to a bandsaw mill and have it slabbed into heavy 5/8" boards. I rip them up myself in order to get the best bow material, not the most board feet of lumber. always plenty of waste when cutting boards into slats.

Title: Re: Best way to saw log?
Post by: Bowjunkie on June 20, 2015, 03:23:00 PM

I take 'laminated wood bows' to mean 'no glass'. As-in all wooden tri-lams, bamboo backed bows and such. I have made them with flat, rift, and quarter sawn wood and have developed a preference for clear quarter sawn and rift sawn for the reasons Jamie mentioned, they're more stable and predictable, but I won't hesitate to use a good clear flat sawn piece if that seems to be its calling.

The 'fancy' looking flat sawn stuff, or pieces with less desirable growth ring ratios, I reserve for glass bows.

So, if it's good woodbow wood like osage, yew, hophornbeam, etc basically I try to get as many quarter and rift sawn pieces from a log as I can, but try to make as much use of the remaining pieces as possible.

If the tree species is better for glass bows, say like sassafras or cherry, I try to end up with a good balance of quarter and flat sawn pieces.... quarter sawn for the core, and flat sawn for the visible stuff under clear glass.

Title: Re: Best way to saw log?
Post by: J.F. Miller on June 20, 2015, 03:57:00 PM

and "waste" is often not a total loss. much of the stuff that I cannot or will not use for core material will become risers. some of it will become kindling, but not much.

Title: Re: Best way to saw log?
Post by: macbow on June 20, 2015, 05:58:00 PM

Thanks everyone.

Title: Re: Best way to saw log?
Post by: Roy from Pa on June 21, 2015, 08:22:00 AM

If you have them sawn into 2" thick boards by whatever width they may be, then you can orientate them to pretty much get 1/4 sawn, rift sawn, or flat sawn to suit your needs. I prefer 1/4 sawn then rift sawn.

I turned this Osage stave into slats. First with a table saw, then a band saw, then finished them up with a drum sander.

   (http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/lams2_1.png) (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/ROY-CHRIS/media/lams2_1.png.html)

   (http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/lams4.png) (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/ROY-CHRIS/media/lams4.png.html)

   (http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/lams1_1.png) (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/ROY-CHRIS/media/lams1_1.png.html)

 (http://i.imgur.com/dRIuXtQ.png)