Simon & Martin's BowSwap Build Along (-;

[simk]

...

[backtowood B2W]

Looking really good!
Now I have just to do my part.
I didn't work on the ash anymore... I guess I will heat treat once more and put on a flaxbacking.
Meanwhile I was brewing and experimenting on several bows.
A 3 piece take down which very different growth ring thickness. One limb is the belly split with just 2 rings.
A short maple recurve with silk backing, HLD .... it is a 3 piece now as well  .
And a r/d blood plum which I shot in a bit yesterday.
Next will be a spliced r/d black locust with poor growth rings, I wanna try to reflex the limbs with dry heat.

[backtowood B2W]

Simk and me wanted to swap the bows personally, so Simon and family came around for some days. We had a nice time, and shoot a bunch of arrows. Simon liked the plum stick and kept it ( The Ash R/D I didn't work on further, I guess this will become a nice lady bow one day).
I was very sad he took the molle with him again too.... Simk will let you know....)

As it isn't a real build along any more I will post the Plum Stick in an extra thread.
Thanks for watching
B2W

[simk]

So yes, we did a spontaneous visit at Martin's place; we met very nice people there and had a very good time. Very cool when the internet becomes real  Apart of the fact that my trade bow broke on day 4 everything was perfect.
Finally with mixed feelings I took a nice b2w-bow with me and promised to start a new one for Martin when I get the time in autumn. So it was a classical "with a smile in one eye and a tear in the other"-event.   

THE FAILURE: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,66282.msg931371.html#msg931371
 

[backtowood B2W]

Oh, I had a good time there in the parkour.
No worrys, Simon, take your time, good things need it!

[simk]

Hello Boys

I still owe a bow to Martin...It was not forgotten, but postponed.
First I had to deal with the shocking experience of the yew-failure, then finish my schooling, then other bow-projects, then I didn't know how to deal with the particular difficulties of that gnarly stave.

It's my first osage (and its from hungary). I traded some osage for yew this summer. I just found out that osage is very similar to work to yew. Like yew, the osage guides the blade very nicely along the grain - its just a little bit harder than yew. I really like working it.

It's roughed out now. For the look I left one ring of sapwood. Still not sure if I'll keep it like that; it has a few drying checks in the sapwood - if these cracks will get much worse with steaming I'll remove the sap - the heartwood has no cracks I think. Now it's steaming and correcting time. First will be reflexed levers, then I'll care about the string alignement.

My actual Q: Cracks in osage sapwood can be treated the same as cracks in heartwood? Filling them with epoxy/CA?...

Good things sometimes take some time!

Cheers

[Parnell]

I hadn't seen this thread in the past.  What an interesting post and exchange!  The pictures and backgrounds are excellent to see and your process with each other is remarkable.  I'll be watching, for sure, to see how this bow shapes up. 

[backtowood B2W]

Simk: Glad you didn't forget
Hope you are still shooting my bow and using the cherry bark quiver as well.
Here is the link from the bow simk took with him:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,66276.0.html

I also wanted to let you guys know what happened with the Ash bow I planned for him first place.
I backed it with combed flax as thin as possiple but still overpowered the belly. So within, all my flax backings failed - But I will continue working with it.
As backing maybe with very dense woods only. But for stiffening, wrapings, repairs it works great.

When you look at the last FD you will know, why it let go at this spot...

[backtowood B2W]

...

[simk]

Thanx Parnell!
B2W: Love Your quiver and use it a lot. Regarding the ash: Looks like it snapped over the back...? Interesting...? How is that possible with the flax backing?

I went on with your osage, bent some reflexed levers and chased a ring - ...left the last sapwood ring for the look.

As I have no experience with osage I would really appreciate other opinions on the following PROBLEM:

I did violate the back ring in one spot. The violation is in the most stressed part of the limb right after the fade. It's maybe 1/2" long and 1/20" deep. The ring thickness is about 1/8". I tried to get some pics of it...still hard to see.

My plan now ist the the following: Sanding and even out the violation a bit, then temporary patch it with a bit of linen or sinew for the tillering process and finally do a wrapping on the finished bow...

Does this sound like a good plan? What do you all think?

MerryXmas to everybody!

[backtowood B2W]

The flax backing overpowered the belly and it collapsed at the weakest spot. To me it looks like the ash started to collapse and then separate along a ring in the neutral zone.

To your problem:
Looks like, you still have plenty of meat. Remove the last sap wood ring, it will be easier to chase a new one in heart wood. A perfect back is the most wanted in wooden bow making. IMO.
But maybe I'm wrong as I have no experience with o.

[simk]

Thank you b2w, adapting plans and finding the good move often takes a little thinkingtime - I put some work into it again: Shaved that ring, did some limb-shaping and 1, 2, 3 heat corrections. Got a semi-sapwood-back now and also an alignement somehow. but still some propeller in there. I will see how it behaves when bending before doing more correctional actions. Very nice wood to work with, this so called osage. Looking forward bending that thing.

I do have 3 bows with same profile in the works now. All a little inspired by bushboy    It really makes me wonder how oo and horn will compare performancewise.

[simk]

...

[simk]

 

[simk]

Soooo,... we have slow progress here: tillered it on the long string and braced it for the first time today. What makes me really happy is the fact, that this snakey reflexed thing showed some perfect string alignement and no more corrections are needed. On the long string I always pulled 50-55# while tillering; when braced I wasn't that courageous and only pulled to a shy 42# @ 20" up to now - before I go further I want to study that tiller carefully; at first sight I'm quite happy.

Next will be reducing these levers and the outer fades to the max. Need a little bend and enough torque-stability. Hope this one survives