Osage stave with twist, going to be a take down.

[Cloudfeather]

I have an osage stave, 60 inches little ovet 2 inches wide and high. I've been wanting to make a take down sleeve bow for some time now and the horrible end to end alignment basically made up my mind for me. My question is this: the one limb from mid handle to tip is perfectly straight. The other side, from mid handle to tip twists some. Do I rough out the stave and great correct before chopping it in half? The stave is seasoned about 7 months and will be a self bow take down.

[Jim Davis]

I have an osage stave, 60 inches little ovet 2 inches wide and high. I've been wanting to make a take down sleeve bow for some time now and the horrible end to end alignment basically made up my mind for me. My question is this: the one limb from mid handle to tip is perfectly straight. The other side, from mid handle to tip twists some. Do I rough out the stave and great correct before chopping it in half? The stave is seasoned about 7 months and will be a self bow take down.

Rough it out, reducing the limbs to 5/8" thick or so, leaving the fades and handle area untouched for now. Then clamp the twisted limb at the handle, on its side.  Put a clamp, wrench or something on the limb in such a way that you can weight it to put a counter twist on the limb.  Then put the heat to the limb between the handle and the clamp on the limb. Don't over heat or toast the limb. Just bathe a 4 or5 inch section of the limb with heat from a  heat  gun or (carefully) a propane torch.

Watch your anti-twist setup for movement and keep heating until that part of the limb has moved  maybe 10 percent more than straight. Let that part cool  a while and move up to the next section of limb and repeat.

When the twist is gone,  you can proceed with your handle surgery.

BTW,  60" is mighty short for a 28" draw. Is this going to be a shorter draw?

Jim Davis

[bubby]

When I have to remove twist I do like was already said but I use an electric floor heater, portable for my heat source and I measure from floor to top of limb and keep checking how much it has moved, works great

[Cloudfeather]

I use a heat gun, big c clamp and weights with a string hanging to gauge the twist. I've had good success with that. I was just hazy on when I shoukd correct twist. Thanks fellas.

[bradsmith2010]

yes you will need to give the length some consideration,,, if it is shorter draw should be ok,,but as stated above short for 28 inch with a stiff handle,,,and not backed,,

[Cloudfeather]

My draw is about 26, but I've seen many stuff handle osage bows that length that are 28 inch draw.

[lebhuntfish]

I just finished a 60" ntn 38@27 and it will draw 28 for sure. But I did put sinew on it too . Patrick

[Cloudfeather]

Gordon had done a couple stiff handle osage that were 60 inches and 60lbs at 27. I'm going for 50ish at 26.