Author Topic: Osage Stave Help  (Read 1636 times)

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Offline Marlin

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Osage Stave Help
« on: April 19, 2011, 11:15:20 pm »
I have a stave of Osage thats 71&3/4". The problem is that half the length has over a foot of reflex. Will I be able to pull out the reflex without geting the limb too thin? I wanted to make a english long bow out of it.

Offline Marlin

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Re: Osage Stave Help
« Reply #1 on: April 19, 2011, 11:20:13 pm »
Also I failed to mention that it's 1&1/2" wide and 1"thick. I will ad a belly slat of Osage as well.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Osage Stave Help
« Reply #2 on: April 19, 2011, 11:37:16 pm »
Hopefully it's still close to green or has been hasn't been cut too long ago as it il steam better if so. What you need to do is get you a good steam set up and some make shift forms or something to bend those limbs over,... I would bend the reflexed one deflexed and the straight one reflexed and see if afterwards I could get em to meet somewhere in the middle. You should work the limb down close to a bowlimb thickness and wideth and that il make steaming easier, more effective/permanent, and safer and less likely to lift a splinter that will ruin your bow. Remember they don't have to be perfect, you can balance em during tiller to work evenly. Also, make sure to wait a good couple weeks before working after steaming.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2011, 11:42:41 pm by toomanyknots »
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline DEllis

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Re: Osage Stave Help
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2011, 01:03:43 am »
That should steam out pretty easy.......leave a bit of the reflex in there( 1.5 to 2 inches maybe??) and make the less reflexed limb the bottom. That's what I'd do anyway :). You shouldn't need a belly lam if that is 1 inch thick at the chosen back ring.........unless you want to get 150# out of it ;D
Darcy
Darcy Ellis
Fort Fraser BC Canada eh!

Offline Marlin

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Re: Osage Stave Help
« Reply #4 on: April 20, 2011, 01:34:52 am »
Thank you. That information is encouraging. As I just cut this stave about a week ago. I will set up a steamer outdoors and form as suggested.
Obliged Dellis and Toomanyknots. :)