Osage board bow - FINISHED with PICS

[adb]

Whoa! That's a big ass hole. That doesn't look good. I thought it might just be a tiny hole. 3Rivers should notice a defect like that and save themselves the grief of replacing it.

A wood backing strip (or bamboo) should be a single continuous piece IMO. The ability for all the fibers of the wood to stretch together under tension is what keeps the back from failing. A splice creates a weak spot, even in a stiff non-bending handle. You gotta learn to cut your own backings if you're serious about laminated bows. They're just too bloody expensive to have shipped.

I suppose it might work if you spliced it at the handle of a non-bendy and then put a thin overlay on top of the splice.

[Sidmand]

Got another board coming to me, should get here today.  Also ordered a hickory backing strip, should get it before the weekend.  I will take pictures of both when I get them, and we can start this whole shindig again  .

Couple of questions:

• I took the other board and cut it down and worked around the bug hole, and I got 2 52" by 1" pieces out of it.  I will take some pictures later of the leftovers.  I am going to make my son and (one) of my daughters some bows out of that.  Do you think that a skinny pyramid, with 1" at the handle tapering down to 1/2" at the tips, and bending through the handle, is doable?
• I want to try to put some static bend in the new bow.  Should I get the osage board down to floor tiller, then do the bending, and then glue the backing on?  OR, should I get the board to floor tiller, then glue the backing on, then do the bending?  I was going to use TBIII glue, cause that's what I have, and I had heard that if TBIII got hot it would let go.
  

[adb]

Those 52" pieces will make great kids bows. Back them with rawhide and you're good to go.

I would suggest you walk before you run. Make yourself a nice pyramid flatbow with your hickory and osage. If you haven't tillered many bows, then a static recurve from boards is not the way to go IMO. TB3 will separate if you get it hot enough to bend static tips.

[Sidmand]

Roger that, pyramid flat bow it is.  I also happen to have some rawhide that I can put on those bows as well, I ordered it with the original board that had the worm hole in it.

I will post pics of the layout tonight for that as well.  I was thinking 64" nock-to-nock, with 5" handle, 1 1/2" fades, and about 1 3/4" wide tapering to 1/2" tips.  With the hickory backing, and patient tillering, I'm hoping for between 55# and 60#  pounds at 26".  The hickory is 1/8" thick, what would be ya'lls estimate on how thick the osage is going to be?  Should I try to take down some belly wood to maybe 5/8 or 1/2" prior to really getting into the tillering?  I'm basing that on 4est Trakker's Pyramid buildalong over on another site - I have used it successfully on 2 bows now, although my level of success hasn't been great, it's just lead to a shooting bow with some set and some limb imbalance.

[bubby]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,35312.0.html
these demensions will work for you, but i'd go 1 3/4' wide to start instead of 2"

[Sidmand]

Got the handle section glued on last night, and got the dimensions marked.  Still waiting on the hickory backing strip, and I'm debating on whether I should go ahead and cut out the profile while I wait.  The board I got yesterday was much better, with nice strait grain except right in the handle and fade area.  I went with 65" long, 1 3/4" at the fade, 1" wide handle at 5" long, making the handle/riser area a total of 8" long.




This pic is of the kid bows I am going to make with the other board, they are 1" at the center and taper to 1/2" at the tips.

[bubby]

one thing I might suggest is make the center of the handle 1 1/4" wide, it will give a more natural/comfortable grip and if it was me i'd cut it out, stay away from the lines and rasp down to them, then when you get the backer mark it with the osage and cut it out before you glue it up, I use bike innertubes that I get for free at bike shops instead of clamps, just wrap with steady even pressure if you see the glue moveing ahead of the wrap that is tight enough

[Sidmand]

I will call around and get some inner tubes, do you cut the tubing into strips or rubber bands or what?

I have some cork sheets I was going to thicken the handle up some with, the was going to wrap it all with some elk leather.  Thats was why I left it at an inch, thinking to build it out a little afterwards.  Think that plan will work, or should I fatten it out some on the layout?

Are you saying cut out the Osage, then use it as a template for the backer?

Sorry for all the questions, just want to make sure I understand. I don't want to screw this bow up, so I am taking everything you guys tell me to heart here.

[Sidmand]

She is done! Thank you all for your help, certainly wouldn't have turned out as well as it did without your feedback.  Overall it's a good shooter, but I did miss weight (was trying to get 55@26).  I figured out what I did wrong though and hopefully won't make the same mistake again.  However, here she is:  Hickory backed Osage, 62" nock to nock, #45@26".  I dyed it with RIT dye dissolved in  rubbing alcohol, then rubbed it down with steel wool and put 4 coats of Tung oil on it.  Made the string with 14 strands of B55, beaver fur silencers.  Handle is wrapped with Elk hide.  This is my first lam bow, and certainly my most successful attempt at a bow.  I'm quite proud of it and will be shooting it next weekend at the Howard Hill Southeastern Classic in McCalla, AL.

[IdahoMatt]

That turned out looking very good indeed.  How's it looking unbraced?  It sure looks good everywhere else

[SLIMBOB]

That looks really good!  I think you can probably still go lighter on the tips, but every one I finish I tell my own self that.

[bubby]

nice job, on the next one try for a smoother transition at the fades

[Knoll]

Ya certainly deserve to be proud and self-satisfied with the final product.  Best of luck at the shoot!

[JW_Halverson]

I got no complaints.  I'm proud of you, brother!

[lebhuntfish]

That looks really nice bud! I really like the color contrast you did. I may have to try the Rit dye myself.