self bowyer

[chessieboy]

I'm looking for someone that had experience making selfbows around south central PA. I live above Carlisle. Mainly I need help chaising some sage rings. Anyone out there?

[onemississipp]

Not in your area but use a scraper and go slow!!

[1/2primitive]

Osage shows the growth rings pretty clearly, you can tell what is the good wood and what's the bad stuff, and like said before, go slowly.
   Sean

[1gutpile]

forget a scraper unless you want to be chasing a ring for a month...get a draw knife a dull one at that..I can chase a ring in less than 30 minute with a dull draw knife on a 64 inch stave...a pic of the growth rings would help...I like to lean mine against a shelf or something...the light needs to hit the stave just right to be able to see the early wood growth right..makes it pop out ...thats the ticket...gut

[onemississipp]

If you have large growth rings a drawknife is great...still go slow...one slip and that stave is done, or you will have to back it.

[John Scifres]

Darren Shue "Hackbow" is in Pittsburgh.

Here's my   Homepage  

Click on the "Roughing Out a Selfbow" Tutorial.  I show how to chase a ring there.

[Lost Arra]

One hint: do your ring chasin' in direct sunlight.

[the Ferret]

This tute may help you some as well

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000046

[Mark Smeltzer]

Use all your sences, you can feel hear and see the difference between the early wood and late wood rings.  GO SLOW!!
Mark

[Eric Krewson]

It is more like, one slip and you have to go down to the next ring and start over. Done it a few times myself.