Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: gstoneberg on November 25, 2011, 06:13:31 pm
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I was moving some bow wood around yesterday and when I picked up a 52" osage billet for some reason I couldn't put it back down. It is the bottom split from a set I split out awhile ago. After cleaning up the back it is 1" wide the entire length. Started with a little bend and twist to it (seems to be par for my osage). It also has a bad check on one tip. I'm planning on sinew backing it to stabilize that. The stave I'm working on is just to the left of the ruler. I believe the other 3 are now bows in other stables...I like that.
(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6129/5938839794_b02573c166_z.jpg)
I thinned it to where it was just beginning to bend and then straightened it up and flipped one of the tips to try and match the other end. I should have cut a new caul with much less bend to it but I was lazy and just flipped it. It took 4 heatings to get it the way I wanted. If we don't go out and do something tonight I think I'll give it a couple courses of sinew. Here's how it looks now:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6401189423_e6b4630df9_z.jpg)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6401190103_930d9c2ea4_z.jpg)
I'm hoping to get better tiller and a little less stack than my current short bow of the same length. I'd also like it to be a little lower draw weight too, more like 55lbs. I guess time'll tell. I have so many other staves I need to work, why did this one call to me???
George
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Nicew rings on that sliver George. Should make a tough bow.
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Good luck George! looks good at this point.
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I thought I was the only one that happened to, LOL I think all of my best bows started out that way. I would be cleaning up in the shop and start moving staves around and the next thing I know two or three hours went by and I can't wait to get back to it.
Good luck with this one can't wait to see her done.
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Looks to straight ;D
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You did well listening to that voice calling you George. I think we all hear those same voices, thats why we all have about a dozen bows half done! ::) Looks like a dandy.
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Looks to straight ;D
Ah, the wonders of the heat gun... :)
Thanks guys, glad I'm not the only one to be influenced by wood like that. I had hoped to be applying sinew by now, but I'm watching old movies with my lovely bride. Time spent with her is well spent.
George
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Were you able to remove the check George? If so,you sure don't need to back that beauty. ;) God Bless
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I always enjoy your work George. After you posted some of your Dad's art it occurred to me that you
came by your talent honestly.
Lane
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No Pete, that check is a through and through and almost 6" long. It really opened up when I heated and flipped that tip but didn't go any further, thank goodness. The other tip has some minor checks that I could cover with an overlay.
Thanks Lane, that was a great compliment. My Dad continues to amaze me for sure.
George
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I got the sinew on this bow tonight. I put 1 course on the tips, 2 over the rest of the bow.
(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6044/6428791325_007e8584b0_z.jpg)
I brought the bow in the house to dry. The cat was very interested in it.
(http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6051/6428792951_9b3594fa5a_z.jpg)
Now the waiting begins. This will be the narrowest bow I've ever made. It is 7/8" wide most of it's length.
George
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I hate the wait! ;) You'll be surprised how much umpth this little bow will have. It don't take much osage to make a good bow!
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Yea me too, but these days it goes faster than it used to. As soon as I take off the wrap I'll write the date (3 weeks from now) on the belly of the bow (where it'll get removed in tillering) so I remember when the wait is over. Otherwise I'd forget that too. ::) I could just plan on starting the tillering on Christmas day? I did that years ago on another osage sinew backed bow and was so excited once I had it shooting that I rushed to take it hunting the last day of deer season that year. Got a nice little buck with it on its first hunt. Great memory. I'm looking forward to tillering this one just to see how the limbs end up, being so narrow. Hope to do a better job than my last one, got that one bending too much in the center. I'm still new to the bendy-handles. I suppose I should have pulled some reflex in this bow, but I figured I was pushing the draw length (going for a full 28") on it as it was. Maybe the sinew will pull in a little reflex as it dries?
I had quite a bit of hide glue left so I put it in the freezer that's in the shop. Has anybody had any luck freezing hide glue and then heating it back up to use later?
Thanks,
George
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Looks like you have a good start,can't wait to see the finished product. :)
Pappy
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Make sure its well out of the cats reach! Gonna be nice to see this complete.
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George is that the bow you said you were making me for Christmas 8)
Looking good
Cipriano
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LOL Mr. C. :) I'm working on a bow for you, but you know it isn't this one. I haven't pulled it off the caul to look at the second flipped tip. I'll do that tonight.
Thanks all.
George
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One last picture before I resign myself to the wait and ignore this thing for awhile. The wrap is off and it looks OK. The sinew pulled in away from the limb edges more than I'd like, but I think it'll be just fine.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6439949677_35bea63b52_z.jpg)
Mr. C, I never did get that final twist taken out of your bow. Spent too much time playing with BOM pictures. ;D Tomorrow perhaps.
George
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Well, I couldn't stand waiting any longer and began tillering this little guy today. Took a bit to get it to bend enough to put a string on, but here it is strung:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6527889935_1cc83eb1a5_z.jpg)
There's a decent sized knot in the right limb a little inboard of mid-limb. I left it a little thick, but now I see it's stiff there, which makes sense. Duh. It is pulling 55lbs at 21" right now. I tried to get a picture of it at 21" pulling with 1 hand and taking the picture with my phone with the other. Didn't work very well. Looks like it's only back about 18-19" and I moved the camera. Anyway hopefully you can see well enough to critique the tiller. Otherwise I'll go take another picture after I've evened out that right limb.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6527890323_1dd3400427_z.jpg)
Uhgh, looks pretty bad. I can see I need to get some bend in the handle if I'm going to get the last few inches of draw I want.
Thanks,
George
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Its gonna be cool! You're almost there! Can't wait to see it myself...
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Well, it's further now, though I still can't take a good full draw picture. Here's brace now:
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6528235033_4d20b804f7_z.jpg)
And once again I can't get it all the way back one handed. It pulls 55 at 27", but this is only about 25". I'm trying to get the handle bending just at full draw, but I'm gonna have to get Mary to take a full draw picture to see if I'm getting it. Looks like I have the 2 limbs bending slightly differently. Sure easier to see in the picture. It has taken a little set, I expected that with such narrow limbs. Gives it a nice D/R look.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6528235499_19f209c8b4_z.jpg)
I popped the sinew loose along the limb edge in 2 places. One is by the handle and I did it with the vise, the other is out about 6 inches from the tip and I did it with the scraper. Might fine tune the tiller just a little more, glue those 2 spots back down and then glue on a backing. I'll look at my snakeskin stash when I go back out to the shop. Wish I had some of those beautiful carp skins. Gonna have to take bowfishing a little more seriously this spring. :)
George
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Nice looking sinew job George, coming along nicely! gonna pull an all nighter?Can't wait to see her all finished up-Hammertime
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Thanks, I should-a sent you this stave, I think it was quite a bit easier than what you just finished up. No, I'm too old to do all-nighters anymore. Plus, I want to get some snakeskin over that sinew before I put a handle wrap on it. I'd sure like to finish it, but it'll take awhile yet to wrap it up.
George
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George,
You are almost there. The sinew job looks good. That bow sure is bending. Looking forward to full draw pics..
No prob.. Thank you for doing that ;)
Cipriano
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Just caught up with this thread.
Looks like it's a nice tricky job, after all we shun the easy stuff don't we :) ?
Del
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Very fun watching this George. The sinew looks great, almost looks like one large piece.
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Don't know how I missed this one George?
I've got a short stave marked for something like this. I have the sinew processed just waiting for the stave to dry a bit more....
Your on the home stretch now, looking great!!!
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Thanks guys, it means a lot. I'm enjoying these short bows a lot; glad Ken, Rich and others motivated me to try them. Still need work on tillering so I don't induce set. Gonna try a couple different woods and longer bows next before I go for a short osage again. I made a bow the local food bank auctioned off early this year. I want to have another one ready this spring for them. When I do get back to the yellow wood, I have a 50 year old corner post section I'm gonna split a stave off from. Guess I should finish this one before I begin designing the next few. :)
George
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George , i love that bend . you do well with your short osage .
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Thanks Ken. I glued on some mesquite overlays, thinned the tips a bit, and recut the string grooves. Needs sanding, but here's what one of the tips looks like.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6535140611_d1526b6191_z.jpg)
Here's the other side, showing the split that runs in from the limb tip You can see it through the sinew in the picture above. It opened up when I was working it so I superglued and clamped it.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6535141125_b2ecf3683f_z.jpg)
The bow also has a knot hole that pulled out when I hogged some wood off the belly. I left it untouched. It is right in the hardest working part of the limb and the limb bends right through it. The limb is 1" wide at that point, the widest point in the bow. On the back, that knot looked like any other pin knot. On the belly it's pretty nasty looking.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6535142155_db77f66b7c_z.jpg)
The other working limb is narrower, 7/8", about the size of my index finger.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6535142855_016d41d87b_z.jpg)
The handle is 3/4". This is by far the lightest bow I've ever made. Right now it weighs in at 11oz on the dot. It'll put on some weight with the finish, handle wrap and backing. Might put a couple arrows through it tomorrow after work, shooting off my hand.
George
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That's looking real good, George. I really pay attention when someone is bending a short bow.
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Looking good Jorge!
Cipriano
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Thanks, this has been a fun bow to work. I shot it a few times this afternoon. First time I've shot off my knuckle in a long time. Only had one arrow with wrapped feathers with a field point. I was guessing at a nocking point and shooting split finger instead of 3 under. It is quick, faster than my last shorty. I thought I'd shoot lower without all 3 fingers under the arrow but I had trouble shooting too high all the way back to 20 yards, as far as I can shoot in my yard. This bow has a much more pleasant draw than I expected. Flipping the tips must've really helped. Really looking forward to finishing it up and hunting with it now.
George
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That baby is looking good to me,tiller looks good, I think if you squared up for the picture it would look even better. :) That should spit an arrow. :) :)
Pappy
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Looks good, George. The spit should not worry you as t is not going off the edge. She seems a bit tippy in your sling. I don't know why. That usually happens when one limb is stronger than the other. Jawge
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Nice work George. Aren't these little sinew backed osage bows fun? I'm sure enjoying mine! Well done! 8)
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Mr. G, very nicely done, sir!!!! ya know what that 47" osage ya sent to me did that poor yankee buck,eh? Mine aint backed but ya gonna be pleasantly surprised at how much killin power them little "d" bows got in them.....
rich
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That's a sweet little freezer filler George!!
11oz !! It's a pocket rocket :)
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Great looking bend on that shorty George. ...11oz? osage amazes me with how much weight it can produce with so little wood.
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Very nicely done as always!!!!
Josh
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Wow guys, thanks a lot for all the comments. These short bows are fast becoming my favorites. I do think that limb on the left is stiffer. I'm going to put it on the bottom and shoot it to see if it'll work that way. I'll have Mary take a picture of it at full draw so we can see how it looks.
Won't be for a day or so as I'm at the lease shopping for venison with the .243. Would have rather brought the bow but season's almost over and I have to make every sighting count now. Sadly, nothing showed up this afternoon. There is a late doe season so if I could get a couple then I'd take the new bow out in Jan.
George
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I'm experimenting with a new waterproof backing with this bow. Haven't decided whether I like it yet or not. Hopefully the backing will be dry enough to finish out and shoot before I have to go back to work.
George
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6585692385_d6a9e7116a_z.jpg)
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lovely bow George. She looks fast!
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The bow is essentially done now. I laid out the handle wrap and decided on a rest but haven't glued them on yet. I tried a Druid, bow on the post shot, but I let an outlet get in the picture. O well.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6615346585_990b13e2b6_z.jpg)
My wife freed up to take a full draw picture. I apologise in advance for the sweats. I do need to learn to stand up straight when I take these pictures. I always lean into the shot so it's a hard habit to break.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6615124747_b750c85214_z.jpg)
I hope to get the first coat of finish on the bow later today. I still have some sanding to do on the tip overlays, Final specs are:
50" n2n
tips = 7/16"
limbs = 7/8", 1" at the knot
handle = 3/4"
57lbs@27" (my draw length), 60lbs@28"
1.5" of set static, 1.75" after shooting.
I shoot it 2 fingers under, dropping the bottom finger at about half draw. It seems to like 45-50 spined shafts best. It draws much nicer than my last shorty and seems a bit faster. I expect it to take a little more set as it breaks in. Anxious to finish it up.
George
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Looks real nice George.
Very nice tiller on that bow as well.
Hands down my favorite type design for sure.
Well done.
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Great looking bow. I love the tiller of short, bend through the handle bows and you did a nice job on that one.
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George that is definitely a keeper. You nailed the tiller. Can't wait to see some finish on her. Congratulations
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George now thats a hell of a nice full draw . great work
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Thanks guys!
I have the sanding done now. Just waiting for the finish to warm up in the house before I put it on. I took one last picture to show the bow unstrung. The tips are about 1.25" lower than the center. The far tip I flipped, the near one is naturally recurved.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6617345375_27bce40dda_z.jpg)
George
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Geroge,
that's one very pretty circle right there !!!! I have to believe that about an inch of set is about right ....if ya look at most of the museum "D"'s thats about what most of 'em settled in at. I got to believe it's just a flat screamer too!
rich
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That turned out great! Well done as always!
Josh
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You always amaze me George. Great work once again :laugh:
Cipriano
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Wow! Impressive work George! Hope i can get out your way soon and see her in person!
-Kevin
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Great work Goerge tiller looks perfect,simple but deadly eh!-Hammertime
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Excellent little bow George. Well done! 8)
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Thanks, very kind of you all. I do hope to ventilate some pigs with this little bow. Should work out of all our pop-up blinds where my 60" bow is too long for all but the largest blind. Looking forward to hunting a lot with her. :) :)
Kevin, come on over and we'll put some arrows through her. We still need to work on your stave don't we? I hope you remember which one it is because I'm afraid I've forgotten. :-[
That first coat of finish is taking its sweet time drying. I'll put the second coat on tomorrow after work.
George
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Very nice George,beautiful tiller.
Pappy
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It would be a privilege George! ;D
No worries about the one we started, I'll know it when i see it. If not, i've got some i've started on that i could use some direction on as well. Still pretty busy round here, have to do most of my bowyering in the wee hours . . .
Thanks, and again very nice work!
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Thanks Pappy. Kevin, I've been known to make some shavings in the wee hours. Any time you can slip out I can be in the shop. We have a couple spare bedrooms if it's too late to head back home.
George
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Finished this one up today. Used a curled sliver of osage from much earlier in the bow's construction for a rest. The wrap is a little wet yet, but needed to get pictures before it got too late. Here's the wrap and rest. I think it looks nice next to the beautiful armguard I got from Cameroo.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6655920685_9ccf16e55e_z.jpg)
The bow is positively dainty...until it shoots. It's weight finished up is just under 12 oz. 50" n2n, 55lbs at 27".
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6655940205_655f12f9f7_z.jpg)
It is so short that I can shoot it with a ball cap on, I like that. :) The bow has a faux snakeskin backing. It is cotton cloth with a shed snakeskin over it. I didn't like the way it looked so I removed the snakeskin, but the pattern remained in the glue. Turned out much better than I expected.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6655940199_d1b89b7b66_z.jpg)
It's done just in time for my last deer hunt next weekend. :) :)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6655940209_6d83befb20_z.jpg)
Thanks to all of you, you've been so kind in your comments.
George
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Man o man... That bow is as good as they get... Great job George... I really like it.....
Jon
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I agree with ifritz! Very nice little bow and that weight and draw length would fit me great! ;D
Josh
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The final well done George looks sweet-would like to see the pics of that snake pattern-have fun shootin-Hammertime
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Thanks guys. Here you go Jeff,
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6656249343_97a6938025_z.jpg)
While I was at it I grabbed a shot of the limb tip. As always, the overlay is mesquite.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6656249333_81dc3bc3e0_z.jpg)
George
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Turned out sweet,now go take her in a brush blind and good luck making some meat ;)
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great looking little bow George, Bub
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That is one gorgeous little lady!!!!
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sweet bow George, love the tiller and that mesquite is some pretty wood.
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I must have missed this one earlier George. That's one good thing about the BOM contest - it gives a guy a chance to review a lot of the bows that have been posted.
She turned out real nice! I can't believe the draw weight you got out of such little wood. I might have to try something like that with some of the elm I've got seasoning. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks Cam, I like this little bow.
George
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It really turned out great George... and what a power house at that length!!
I'd love to hunt that bow...
Super job :)
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It turned out great George. I really like the D-bows myself. God Bless
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If you submit that for BOM I know which one I'd vote for. Great job there and keep the eye candy coming.
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Thanks guys. Tom, it is up for BOM this month. But, the other bows are stunning...as always.
George