I have a goal for next year

[bowkill]

I would like to make a plains style bow, by next fall to hunt deer with.  I have only made one bow before, and that was a "board" bow, (that does shoot nice).  I live in N Central Kansas, and would appreciate any and all suggestions. 

Here are my first batch of questions

1.  What lenght, width, etc?   I think around 55 inches.  I have a short draw length

2.  What type of wood? 

2a  Osage Orange  (If I cut one now, will it be dry in time to make a bow for this fall) 

or
2b  Should I buy a dried stave of hickory for this bow, so its allready dry (and easier?) to work with?

3.  Do I need to back the bow with sinew?

[Badger]

Bowkill, if you live in a dry climate say less than 35 percent average humidity I would go with hickory, any higher than that i would go with the osage as it won't take as much set. I would slightly flip the tips and have a semi working handle also, most likely the bow should be about 1 5/8 wide near the fades for an osage bow that length if you are talking 55# or so, keep the outer limbs narrow and somewhat stiffer. If you go with the hickory I would go closer to 2" wide near the fades. Steve

[bowkill]

It's dry out here, so I think I'll go with the hickory.  It's easier to work with isn't it.  Should I flip the tips?  If so how?

[Badger]

    I have not been able to get but just very gentle curves out of hickory by boiling it, but it can check real bad while you boil it.  I would try dry heat and a lot of caution with only a gentle radius. maybe someone else can give you a btter tip on bending hickory. Even though mine have checed when boiling it only affected the looks of the bow and never gave me a problem. Steve

[leapingbare]

i live in ks too and i hunted with a planes stile bow last year.. the bow was 48'' long and 1'' wide at the fades with a slight bend in the handle with with slight recuves and sinew backed.. was 55lbs at 25'' and damn fast..   
  to recurv the tips just heat the wood and bend it with steam or dry heat and oil..  use hide glue to apply your sinew with Osage make shere u degrease the back before you apply the sinew i used wood ash and water to make a past and aplyed it to the back of the bow and let it set for a few hrs.
  my bow was Osage and most plans bows were made from Osage i think... also if you cut a a Osage tree this week panted the tips split it put it in a dry place i would think you could make a bow with it by this June.
 hope this helps... Leapingbare

[Kegan]

Hickory, 55", 2" wide and working through the handle. Cut the tree now, rough it out, and recurve it over a form with dry heat. I just did this on a hickory bow without any problems, and it held all of it- the natural mositure working the same as if it were boiled. it also dried quicker. This bow probably won't need sinew- just toast the belly over the coals of a fire. The whole bow should take... a month? That way, you can tell if you like it with plenty of time left to start on that Osage and sinew bow.

[bowkill]

Thanks Kegan,  I think that's what I'll do.  Now to go find a Hickory tree.

[Bishop]

Bowkill, where abouts in Kansas do you live....i live in Milford...north of Junction City.  Leapingbare is out this way also.
Bishop

[bowkill]

I live up in Mankato.  I'm an insurance adjuster, and was in Milford, and the surrounding towns a bunch from December until February.  I'm looking for guidance, and possibly a stave for my project.  Years ago I lived in Pratt, and  David Dowell (sp) helped me to start a bow, but I ended up going back to college and never finished one.  He did show me how to use a draw knife though!!