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Author Topic: "Thunder Stick"  (Read 10519 times)

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Offline Kegan

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"Thunder Stick"
« on: December 02, 2008, 07:55:40 pm »
Boy, it's been a while since I've gotten a bow finished up! But I finally found the time to get this one done, which I had glued up a few months ago. I got the Osage board and dark walnut block for the riser from David W., and the bamboo from Nate Kapaldo (nokswimmer). It sure gave me a good bit of trouble. The bamboo twisted slightly, which I hadn't noticed until I started clamping the two pieces. The Osage was also pretty narrow, and I only got 1 3/8" width form it. However, the real problem came when I tried to floor tiller it- the Osage stuck out just a bit more than the boo and it snapped the tip off! So I piked it from 72" to 68" (the longest I could get out of it) with 2" asymetrical limbs- the first time I'd tried that. Tillering also thinned the Osage out until it was nothing more than a belly lamination, making this more of an Osage-bellied-bamboo-bow than a bamboo-backed-Osage-bow ;D. However, I'm now sold on a new style of nocks, something I was never content with on my previous bows, and narrow handles, as my brother has been able to strike the center of whatever he seems to shoot at even with marginally spined arrows.

But despite all the trouble, this came out as one of my nicest to date, and a perfect gift to my brother who was in bad need of a new bow. It's 68" long with offset limbs, 66# at 27", and has good cast (while shooting it in, when Kyle wasn't hitting dead cetner, he was shooting over- even at 40 and 50 yards). You can see that the bottom limb is tempered, to stiffen it up, and the top limb isn't. I finished it with a few coats of wax since both boo and Osage are more 'moisture resistant' than our white woods, and the spar urethane we have here has gone bad. My brother stitched on the leather grip and glued on the arrow plate to give it a very "professional" finishing touch and get it ready to hunt. I'm very pleased with this bow, as is Kyle (which makes it even better). I named it "Thunder Stick" because the Osage looks so much like lightning, and the only other Osage bow I've made from Pat's stave was named "Fire Stick". As I've mentioned before, I'm sold on Osage for a bow wood :).

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Offline david w.

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2008, 08:38:22 pm »
Thats a gorgeaus bow. :)   I am glad it turned out so nice

If you ever want another piece I will be sure to cut it wider.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2008, 08:44:50 pm by david w. »
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Offline Ryano

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2008, 08:50:04 pm »
Nice job Kegan. Your bows just keep getting better and better. Keep up the good work.  ;D
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Its November, I'm gone hunt'in.......
Osage is still better.....

Offline Kegan

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2008, 09:33:54 pm »
Quote from: Ryano on December 02, 2008, 08:50:04 pm
Nice job Kegan. Your bows just keep getting better and better. Keep up the good work.  ;D

Thanks! It's all the good influence here on PA ;D.

Thanks David, I'll have to keep that in mind :).
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2008, 09:40:17 pm »
Nice one. Well done
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Offline mullet

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2008, 09:42:49 pm »
 Great looking bow, Kegan. Try to take some wood off those tips and you will pick up some quickness. You are storing too much weight there. Have you tried that Mulberry yet?
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Offline Kegan

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2008, 09:58:10 pm »
Quote from: mullet on December 02, 2008, 09:42:49 pm
Great looking bow, Kegan. Try to take some wood off those tips and you will pick up some quickness. You are storing too much weight there. Have you tried that Mulberry yet?

I've yet to attempt it. I tried a test run takedown on some hickory billets, and snapped the thing right across the handle. So I'm going to just splice them into a flatbow come spring (the shop has been set aside for deer processing at the moment). Should I put a cross pin trhough the splice?

I was worried that the tips would be too heavy, but the cast is good, and it has pleanty of power. I came in one evening talking about reworking the handle and tips and Kyle told me to "just stop messing with it!" ;D

Thanks Marc ;D.
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Offline PeteC

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2008, 10:04:17 pm »
Way to go Kegan,good job.That is really thick boo.How thick was it when you first got it planed flat? God Bless
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Offline brownhillboy

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2008, 10:48:33 pm »
Nice bow Kegan!  I'm sure your brother is happy.  Looks like he means buisiness with it!  Good job. :)
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south central VA

Offline Sidewinder

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2008, 03:23:05 am »
Nice bow Kegan. I need to do one of those boo/osage bows. I've got the osage board just need to get the boo. Keep em coming.   Danny 
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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2008, 04:53:50 am »
Nice bow man. it looks quite stout, how strong is it? somewhere around 70#?
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Offline Pappy

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2008, 05:27:33 am »
Very nice job,I love the colors.Looks like a hand full.  :)
   Pappy
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Offline David Long

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #12 on: December 03, 2008, 09:52:20 am »
Great bow and a coupla great brothers I'd say.  :) Good name for that bow too. Looks like a nofoolin' huntin stick. No arguing with thunder.  ;) Dave
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NW Montana

Offline knightd

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2008, 10:11:26 am »
Good looking bow ...  ;)
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Offline Pat B

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Re: "Thunder Stick"
« Reply #14 on: December 03, 2008, 10:38:24 am »
Boy, look at you getting all fancy on us! ;)  Boo/osage is a great combo.   Getting the boo just right is a lesson we all have had to learn. If you find your boo is gonna be too thick you can trap it to reduce the stresses on the belly.
   Also, having thick boo at the tips isn't all that bad as boo it lighter than most belly woods.
  Very nice bow. I'm sure your brother is loveing it.       Pat
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC
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