Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Sidewinder on March 04, 2011, 11:42:47 am
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Here is an osage bow I made recently. Its 61" 50@29. Milk snake back.15 stand dacron B50 string. Its 1.45" at the fades and 1/2" at the tips.
It started out to be a 68" bow but I had trouble with the tiller and ran out of room in draw length and had to pike it ( a first for me). I'm not sure I stuck the tiller but its pretty close and it shoots better than any bow I've made so far. I heat treated it and flipped the tips ( also a first ).I had originally intended it for my future son in law but he's a pretty big kid ( 6'4 210lbs )and I think the 50is too light for him. I think he needs a 55 or 60 to get started, so I'm making him another one. The stave had a few small knots on the back and the rings were about 1/8" or less. It had a little twist and some side to side aligmnment that I needed to correct. I origiinally tried to correct it over the campfire and the crook of a tree ala Al Herrin or Jim Hamm but that only got me half way to where I wanted to be. I then put the heat gun to it with some left over peanut oil from last years catfish fry and it liked that treatment very well.t I wrestled this stave for over a month and I think we have finally come to an agreement.
For the record, when I killed the milk snake I did'nt know what it was. I looked it up and found out it was a benefical snake that kills rodents and other snakes so I have decided to let all the other milk snakes that I run across live but the copperheads are still fair game. I just need to find another onel ong enough to cover a limb.
The skin looked all black until I skinned it and dried it out. The under neath side of the skin had some nice orangish red in it so I decided that dying the bow back red would help bring out the color and texture and looks really good. I maybe over did it on the finnish. I put on 6 coats of tung oil on the bow and then 2 coats of shellac and two coats of spar urathane in a satin. I liked the shellac but it was too shinny and the satin on the spar was just about right.
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6229.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6232.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6252.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6254.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6248.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6249.jpg)
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(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6225.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6224.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6223.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6222.jpg)
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(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6245.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6258.jpg)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg233/KsDanny/Milksnake%20and%20Osage/IMG_6257.jpg)
Thanks for looking. Danny
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Great looking stick Sir!!. Been thinking about milk snake myself. They are listed as being in Nebraska but I have never seen one yet.
Bevan R
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Very nice bow, Danny. Glad you got the pics to work for you. ;)
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Very very pretty.....50# makes a great hunting bow, dont see a darned thing wrong with that tiller.
rich
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Nice bow. Must be nice to have that much osage in your back yard....lol. Even a stack of osage fire wood.
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Sweet looking bow !
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Oooooooh... that's NICE!!!
Love the tips!
Love the colour!
Love the skins...
....Love it!! :)
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that there is perty. I have never seen milk snake before(looks cool). you did an excellent job. everything is first rate. (really like the full draw)>
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Thanks guys. I forgot to mention it only weighs 15oz. with out the handle treatment and string.
Thanks again for the picture help Pat.
Ryano...yeah osage is everywhere but not very good osage, its mostly good for a windbreak and firewood. I'm always rubber necking it looking for straight trees though.
Eric it actually has more orange in it and some translucents when dried so I thought red would look good.Knowing that osage darkens with age I hope the dye keeps the red black contrast long term. I still have the other half of the skin and its going to be with an orange base next time if I can find some good orange dye for the bow back.
danny
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That's a nice bow ya got.
I really like the unbraced profile.
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Very nice! tiller looks perfect to me.
Darcy :)
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Very nice, really like the looks of the nocks. Great Job :) :)
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Awesome bow and skins... Love it!
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Thanks fellas. I 'm glad everyone likes it. It was a bit of a struggle chasin the tiller. Kinda like chasin a pretty girl that don't mind being caught just wants ya to work for it. Danny
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Nice job.
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Very well done. First milk snake skin I've seen and I like it.
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Thank you guys. Danny
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Wanted some of the guys that were'nt on over the weekend to see this before it gets lost in the shuffle. Danny
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you did a fine job on that one Danny boy. i better see you at OJAM next week with it. i am heading down thursday afternoon with my boys.
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Thanks Jimmy .I'm giving that one to dad. Its real nice but about 10lbs lighter than I want for myself. I'm still shooten that "Skeeter bite" bow I got from you last year.
Yeah we'll be there by noon Friday. I'm bringing Dad, One eye Bill , Copperhead Mike, his boy Johnny and some of the Pleasant valley gang with me. I'm trying to finish one right now that I have been tag teaming on the build with Ole one eye Bill . I had hoped to knock one out for me before Ojam but he came to me and said that he wanted my help on making one and of course I said yes. I just don't have time to do two at once and since it was a nice stave I am making sure that I supervise him every step of the way so that it does'nt go to waste. He does'nt see too well and has a hard time working too long sometimes so I figure I let him work on it some and then when he is gone I tidy things up and move it along to the next stage. If it was anybody else I would expect them to pull their weight but he's an exception and we need to get it done before end of next week so he can carry that one.
I probabely need to call you. Danny
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Great looking bow and Tiller. And, I love the oxblood color. :D
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Thanks Eddie. I'm gonna try it in orange next time I use Miilk snakes. Danny
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Great looking bow,very well done,I really like the grip,that is really nice. :)
Pappy
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LOOKS SWEETTT tiller looks find, nice profile.
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Nice bow Danny. Tiller looks right on
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That's a nice looking bow. I love the color theme with the wood and the snake skin, and those nocks are mighty nice looking - so sleek and elegant.
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Thanks Pappy, Marc, Matt and crooked arrow. your guy approval fuels my desire to progress into more refinment at every level of the build and finish.
Marc I wrestled this tiller and it frustrrated me more than once so I'm glad trained eyes like yourself and others confirm I succeded. It seems I am a bit critical of my work at times, but I guess thats what keeps me from settling for less than my best effort.
Pappy I hope I can come to the classic sometime. We have family in Nashville so maybe I finagle a visit for my wife around the dates of the classic and come see you guys. I'll float that idea and see what happens. You've got going on there at Twin oaks what I would like to see happen here in Southern Kansas.
Danny