Author Topic: Wormy Osage bow finished-laugh if you must! (Read 11643 times)

DuBois · « **on:** January 15, 2013, 05:23:55 am »

40 inch branch about 4 inches in diameter that had a bend in the middle of it and a Y where it split into 2 branches at one end.
I split it and what I have now is a spliced 69" billet stave made from the 2 sides of the branch.
The bottom limb has the natural bend away from the belly and the upper I steam bent to almost the same profile.
Upper limb is 31" and lower is 29.5"

Any help appreciated. Thanks, Marco D.

Pappy · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2013, 06:31:13 am »

First welcome,2nd pictures would help a lot,lots of pictures of profile and the problem areas you are going to have to deal with,hard to answer at least for me without seeing exactly what you are talking about.

Bends can be straightened/holes can be plugged or delt with and cracks can be wrapped if in the right area, just would help to see them.

Not much help am I.

Pappy

Pappy · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2013, 08:20:09 am »

Have you flipped the tips or is that the way the stave is? I would say if you cut the nocks at the line I see you should have no problem, may want to reinforce the tips with over lays but that is a non bending area and should be ok. Are you already to one ring on the back ? Looks pretty thick,so you have a lot to work with.

That's a wicked looking stave,should be a bow in their.

Keep us updated
and more pictures of back and front/side profile would help to see what you got.

Pappy

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #3 on:** January 18, 2013, 09:10:53 pm »

Go slow and keep in mind what your doing now, and what it may effect later. The shape you have is a positive way to start the floor tiller process. After you get the limbs bending fairly even at about 80-90# on the floor you should run a string from tip to tip to get an idea of where it will lay and where you may need to heat up and move. Be careful around that nasty spot and work slow. If it stays ugly? Fill it with QUALITY super glue like Loc Tite or something. Keep filling it until it stops accepting it. Then keep tillering. Give it a day to dry through first.

ionicmuffin · « **Reply #4 on:** January 18, 2013, 09:14:24 pm »

wow, nice piece of sage there! looks like you could really have some fun with that one!

Marc St Louis · « **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2013, 09:35:34 pm »

Looking good. As long as you have carefully chased a back ring then you should be ok

DuBois · « **Reply #6 on:** January 19, 2013, 06:22:11 pm »

Hey, thanks everybody,

PD: I will take it slow. I've killed a few bows trying to cram in between wife, kids and work! I'll try the glue when I get that far.

Marc: I think the ring is a real good thick one and chased well but has a few nicks that I will sand out. Is that OK as long as I don't get all the way through?

Pappy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2013, 08:18:24 am »

Sand lightly,you don't want to thin the ring any more than you have to,any questionable spots I would wrap before starting to bend,even if it's a temporary wrap. Try and get all the nicks out and the back pristine before you start bending.

In the pictures the belly looks pretty rough also,I would try and get it smoothed out and limbs even before I started bending,try and get a good floor tiller before you go to the long string.

Pappy

DuBois · « **Reply #8 on:** January 25, 2013, 11:48:22 am »

new grub damage pics.

Pappy · « **Reply #9 on:** January 25, 2013, 11:53:53 am »

About all you can do is fill with super glue and sawdust and hope the tunnel they mad didn't go length ways.I usually take a small wire and put it the hole to try and determan how deep it is and how far it runs.I would also suggest wrapping it or backing it with something to be more safe. Worms suck.

Pappy

DuBois · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2013, 04:31:28 am »

My first osage self bow will have to wait.
I went ahead and backed it with goat hide after cleaning and filling the holes as Pappy said.
Thanks Pappy

It looks kinda cool since some of the hide is almost clear and if all goes well and I finish this I am thinkin on keeping those areas in view

Thanks to Gun Doc for the tip on backing a character stave with foam coozie pieces to compress the hide to the surface.

I had no extra coozies but I'm sure the wife won't even know there are 4 inches missing off the foam yoga mat

I'll post a new picture soon.

druid · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2013, 05:06:50 pm »

What a stave.......

DuBois · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2013, 09:51:44 pm »

I had a bullet hole in this before backing. Should I fill it?

DuBois · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2013, 02:46:55 am »

She is ready for long string tiller now!

Holes flled, rawhide on, floor tillering strongly.
Center of bow right under where arrow will rest and I will grip it and upper limb is 1.5" longer than lower.
Should I keep the areas where the knots are and it curves away from the back from bending?
I never tillered anything like this!!
I'm gonna do it slow ths time

DuBois · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2013, 09:47:33 am »

Primitive Archer