Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on June 12, 2007, 09:25:18 am
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I had a yen to make myself a bow a couple weeks ago, had not made one for myself for nearly a year so it was about time. I had this piece of Osage that had been sitting around in my shop for several years. This wood had come from Glenn in a trade and had some character to it. This particular Osage is the most resistant to heat bending that I have ever worked but there were some things with it that did not sit well with me so out came the heat gun. With much twisting and bending I got the bow layed out fairly well, naturally I had to temper the wood at the same time but I didn't reflex it. The string nearly sits down the center of the handle and the limbs still have some character but not too much for my tastes. It turned out at 64" long by just over 1 1/4" wide pulling 58# @ 28'. A nice little bow. Here's a few pics
(https://i.imgur.com/yrTZ8ie.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/coL3TW9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/xbGUznB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Zpf2rI1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/T1sXDbT.jpg)
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Very nice bow marc. marlon
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Thank you Marlon. It should make a good hunting bow
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Beautiful Marc. What are those marks, looks like scratches, just up from the fade on the upper limb? Did that osage have a lot of crown, like from a younger tree? Funny how some wood wants to bend with heat and other not. I've seen the same thing.
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Marrc, the bow looks great. I like it. Jawge
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I like it! Marc, you always turn out neat work.
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Its kind of fun to make one for yourself isn't it. ;D Great looking bow Marc. Justin
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Looks sharp Marc, appears to have some character in the handle area.
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...... sure is a nice little bow!
frank
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Good looking weapon, Marc. I've missed seeing your bows lately.
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Very nice bow. Waitin' to see full draw. :)
Sean
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Well David. I think those "scratches" are my scribbling signature :). No crown to it. Looks like it came from an older tree. The rings are very thin.
Yes Dana it does also have some character at the handle. I had to orient the grip so the string wouldn't slap me on the wrist.
Just haven't had time to make myself anything lately Steve. It was nice to make this one
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;-)
Oh, chicken scratchen I reckon.
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Very nice Marc,I like the charcter and also like thin ring Osage,it is a little harder to work with but I think it turns out a better bow and seem to hold what you do to it better.Just my opinion. :)
Pappy
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Classic braced profile, they always look good :) :)
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Yes it looks like some Chicken did a dance on the bow.
I like a bit of character in a bow to Pappy but a lot is just too much for me. I also like thin ringed Osage but sometimes thin ringed Osage can be poor quality
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Nice job on that one Marc. Looks like a fine hunting bow! :)
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I was curious on heating osage I have a piece I am working on now. It has the string laying off to one side , The bend is right at the handle. Will a heat gun work to straighten that out. And what is tempering it? and do I have to do it.? Oh yeah, Great bow man!!! Love it did you stain it ? How did you seal it?
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Nugget, The way I would straighten in the handle area is to use a 2x4 on edge as a form, put a clamp at the handle and blocks about mid limb or closer to the handle. While heating the handle area to straighten I tighten the clamp until I get just a little past where I want the handle to be. Let it rest over night before unclamping and you should be ready to go on from there. It is probably best to do this near the end of tillering when you have less wood to bend. Pat
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Nice looking bow mark, haven't seen a straight bow out of you in ages. That must have nearly killed you not to recurve it !! Steve
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A straight limbed bow?!?!? :)
Great no nonsense hunting bow. I have had some thin ringed osage that normally people consider inferior turn out to be really good bow wood. I can't say I've run into any osage that didn't bend real easy but I don't seem to be able to bend whitewood anywhere near as well as you.
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The bow looks great. Simply perfect ;)
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What all woods do you have in your handle? I like the wiggle in the handle, or is it cut out? Looks nearly center-shot.
Is the wood what you consider thin-ringed? I only see two rings over the course of each limb.
Very nice.
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Great looking bow Marc.I'm with Marvin,straight? ;)
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Thats a beauty for sure Marc.
Glad to see your not killing yourself on another Warbow.( nothing agains't them though).
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No you don't have to temper Osage but sometimes it helps. I seal my bows with shellac and Tung oil. My shellac had truned darker, it was orange, for some reason. That's why the bow is dark
I am due for a recurve Steve, started one actually. It's a bit off the wall though so it might take me a bit to finish
Lennie. There's Osage, Ash then more Osage then Ash and then a topping of Bloodwood. Actually the limbs have about 5 rings to them, maybe 6
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Marc that is a good looking bow as always. I like how dark it is. Great tiller.
Ron
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Good looking bow. Did you intentionally remove the osage from the handle area to incorporate the other woods or did your stave thickness push that direction?
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There was enough thickness Greg but it was a matter of getting the rings I wanted to use for the belly. The outer part of the stave has rings that are allmost microscopic
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Full Draw?
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Mark, I don't normaly heat treat osage either, but one I built yesterday was an absolute dog! heat treating it this morning and it seems to be putting some life back into it. The moisture was a little higher than I thought, normally I dont even check the moisture on osage as my climate seems to agree with it. After I get finished I noticed it was close to 9% which isnt real bad but I prefer osage about 7 1/2. Steve
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Don
I'm out of town right now and won't be back until the end of the month so you will just have to keep this one out of the BOM
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Steve
It's for sure that poor quality Osage is helped by heat treating
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Beautiful bow Marc....Thanks
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That's a beauty Marc. I like the handle work and the character in the limbs.
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Thatīs a really nice bow Mark!!!... :) :)...
Thanks for share mate!!
Cheers...
Asier.