2024 Bow Trade - build in progress

[superdav95]

Still working on this wonky piece of wood.  the plugs seem to have held so far.  not quite at brace yet but closing in on it.  lots of character and dips and valleys.  I added a little deflec at the handle area and flipped tips. 

[Muskyman]

Looking good Dave

[Selfbowman]

Looking good Dave!

[Will B]

Very nice, Dave.

[Will B]

I floor tillered my trade bow and built up the handle using Osage and black locust laminations glued up with EA40 Smooth On epoxy. The bow needed some straightening so I coated the bow with vegetable oil and used dry heat to straighten and add reflex. So far so good…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/192203801@N04/shares/9V9mrnF040

[Selfbowman]

I like it Will . Looking good!

[Will B]

Thanks Arvin!

[superdav95]

Yes.  Some definite progress there!  I like it!   

[Will B]

I finished glueing up some buffalo horn tip overlays using TB3. I roughed them out and left them a little wide to allow me room to narrow later as I start the tillering process. Hopefully the photos show the nice, thick rings on the Osage tips.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/192203801@N04/shares/6032A9wS7p

[superdav95]

Looking really nice.  Ya that’s some good looking rings there.  Gona be good!

[Will B]

I had my trade bow out to 20” and 45# on the long string. It looked pretty good so I decided to low brace it at around 3”. String is tracking close to center of the handle. I need to work the outer limbs, especially the top limb (right limb on the tillering tree).  Any thoughts you guys have are appreciated. The bow is 64” ntn and is 1-1/2” at the fades and maintains that width for about twelve-inches then straight taper to 1/2” tips.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/192203801@N04/shares/E2768nNX0t

[superdav95]

Lookin good will.  Agreed on the outers and top limb.  Lookin great though!

[Will B]

Change in plans with my trade bow…
While stringing my initial trade bow I had the handle pop off. I thought this might be a problem when I started because the stave was very thin. I cut some thin Osage laminations and glued them on the bow to attempt to remedy the problem. This handle popped off too so I decided to start another bow using a straight, thin-ringed Osage stave I cut over two years ago. It’s 64” with an 4” handle and 2” fades. I roughed it out to 1-1/2” wide at the fades and near straight pyramid to 1/2” tips. I kept the Limbs 1/2” thick prior to steaming the recurves. I steamed them for 40 minutes each, and left each limb cool for an hour before removing from my caul. Everything is looking good so far.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/192203801@N04/shares/UG5C7J695g

[superdav95]

Looking good will.  Are you gonna still try and salvage the original bow?

[Will B]

Thanks Dave. I may try my first bendy handle bow. It’s a really nice piece of Osage so I will try to do something with it.