Osage Bow (that hopefully doesn't take 10 months)

[Eric Krewson]

I make my osage bows 1 1/4" wide, osage doesn't need to have wide limbs.

If you get a Nicholson get a #49, a #50 is less aggressive. I started out with a #50 and gravitated to a #49 and seldom use the #50.

[Marin]

These are the dimensions that Bubby gave me:
"1 1/4" wide till 8" from the tips and tapers to 3/8" finished. Fades are about 11/2" long 1" wide at the ends of the grip and a quarter wider in the center of the grip"
Now I get that te bow limbs are 1 1/4" wide but I'm a bit confused about the fades. Why would the fades get wider at the center of the grip or does this mean something else?

[Eric Krewson]

Your handle is usually 4" long, I make mine as suggested for the most part.

I put a center line on the stave and use a circle template to lay out my bow, this way is very precise.

My handle layout is the same, at the center of the handle I draw a 1 1/4 " circle, at the ends of the 4" handle section I draw a 1" circle for the arrow pass and make the other end the same for symmetry, 2 3/4" out from the ends of the handle I draw a 1 1/4" circle.

This makes a nice handle with a gradual transition from the handle, through the fades and out to the limb. The 2 3/4" fades will shorten a bit when I tiller to get this area bending a little. I connect the dots by drawing a line at the outside edge of the circles with a ruler to give me my cut lines. I cut outside the lines and use a file to remove wood down to my lines.



Your finished handle with my layout will look something like this;



I make my tips 9/16" initially and drop them to between 3/8" and 1/2" about the time I do the final shaping on the finished bow, I start my taper to  the tips at 12".

[Marin]

Does your layout for a handle work for a bow that is supposed to be a semi rigid, bendy handle bow? That was the type of bow that bunny gave me the dimensions for and I really wanted to try making one.

[Eric Krewson]

It will, I make my rigid handles 1 1/2" tall, for a simi bendy handle you might be at 1 1/4" or less tall on the handle.

[Marin]

How does e location of where you start to taper your tips affect performance? Is it just personal preference?

[Eric Krewson]

I like less mass in my tips and the look of narrow outer limbs, my bows perform well but I don't make comparisons to other limb configurations.

Wood is 7 times stronger in thickness than width so I can add just a little thickness in the outer limbs and have them as strong as much wider limbs.

My limb tips are almost round on the belly but very narrow. The bow in the picture is 15 years old, I make the tips a bit prettier now.

My old bow;

[Marin]

Well I,laid out the bow. I struggled a little with the tips as trying to get hem to follow the grain while tapering is a little challenging. Do the tips need to follow the grain closely or since they're tapering does it matter?
Anyways, the bows limbs are 1 1/4" wide tapering down to 9/16" at the tips. The handle is laid out like Eric's although I don't have anything to make a 1" and 1 1/4" circle.

[Marin]

One more photo

[Eric Krewson]

I would erase that pattern and start over, you need a center line to work off of, something doesn't look right in your handle layout. Layout is one of the most important parts about making a bow, your bow will look sloppy the way you have it layed out. Don't freehand anything, use a ruler.

I know I am being rough on you but you might as well do it right the first time as it will save you a lot of grief down the road.

You need one of these, about $7 at any office supply store like office depot.

[Danzn Bar]

Marin,
You have some great advise from Eric...hang with it...way to go Eric passing it forward....love watching/reading the progress of this thread.
DBar

[Marin]

Eric,
I used a ruler for the center line. I free handed the main profile as the grain is somewhat wavy. I would use a ruler but thought that would cut through the grain and jepordize the bow. Does that matter at all?
Does the taper at the ends follow the grain also or can I just use a ruler to make a straight line?

[Eric Krewson]

You do need to follow the wavy grain but I don't see a centerline on your layout. The bent tip needs to follow the grain like you did.

Quite often a wavy grain is evident on both sides of the limb and the wave matches side to side somewhat. What I do is shift my circle off the centerline to accommodate the snakey part and come back later, hold my stave in the sunlight so the grain is very evident and follow it with my pencil.

As you can see my centerline is very bold. I have a 6' yard stick that I use to draw the centerline but have popped a chalk line and used that as well.

Offset circle to accommodate the snake.

[Marin]

I was referring to the center line going from side to side at the handle section. How do I draw a centerline for a stave that curves?

[penderbender]

Get in the sun and follow the grain and layout your centerline. The same way you followed the grain on the tips. Cheers- Brendan