Thanks alot for the feedback. I welcome any comments.
My ultimatel goal is to build a really nice 60 lbs. (ish) big game hunting bow from one of the two or three VM logs that I aquired. So I'm "getting to know the wood" (bend testing in essence) by using the the scraps or challenged splits to make lesser bows as I make my way to the choice pieces.
So with this bow I just want a good tiller and a bow as heavy as possible that will draw as far as possible.
Definately a teacher stave. Much more desirable at my intermediate skills than building yet another bow from a straight, clean stave.
I know Bryce would have no problem with this stave. I just finished a 49" D-bow from this stock and I experimented with the humps by treating them like humps instead of knots and followed the contour on the belly by cutting across the belly with a round file and dishing out the trenches, as randman says. These humps otherwise become large reinforced stiffened areas that rob the bow of its potential.
Its less than .5" thick in the upper limb and wasn't bending at all when over 1.5" wide in that area. Its down to 1.3" or less now and the widest part of the bow is about 1.8" and it is floor tillering now. So I don't know how that's taking too much off too soon, VMBs, as it is barely moving at this point. But I want to hear about it.
