Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Selfbowman on March 03, 2026, 09:47:28 pm
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Well I considered the fire pit but maybe a challenge.
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Pics.
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58” long
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Challenge started.
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Roughed out
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To much???
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You've gone this far you might as well go all the way. Good luck with this fire pit stave, Arvin. :OK
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Got it this far.
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Is there any major benefit toasting osage, like you get with whitewoods? I would have thought you risk checking and brittleness?
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Looks like it is cleaning up pretty good Arvin, never tried that but who knows, I have toasted the belly on some but even dry /seasoned always worry about checks on the back so never to heavy. Look forward to seeing what you get from it. :)
Pappy
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The knot in one end is trying to give me a hard time so I’m going to use a less drastic radius caul on the ends. This caul was for a short computer designed bow I did. No checks on the back so far. This thing is going spend many hours on the heat bench.
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Thinned out the limbs so it would take heat better, cleaned up the edges. The knot in one end may have to be addressed it a later time with a patch on the belly side.
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I’m going to put a 8” non bend handle in it. At the fades I have 3/4” x1-7/8” wide. I always have problems with them popping off. What weight bow would y’all recommend so it does not bend past the fade or have very little stress at that point?
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Cool build. Is it too late to use steam on the recurves?
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No Dave but this not going to be a flight bow. I’m thinking 40#. The only reason I’m attempting this is because of the growth ring ratio. Pic
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Finishing up recurve end bends on different caul.
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Pic
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I’m amazed how far you bent the the center section as far as you did. Must really be great growth rings. I’ve got my fingers crossed that knot on the recurve works out. If anybody can handle it, it would be you.
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Heck that looks like a primo stave Arvin.
Carry on. You got it under control.
Have you ever tried gluing on thin laminates on your built up handles. It really does help to keep them from popping off.
Bjrogg
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I’m going to have a lot of time on the heat bench with this one.
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Watching glue dry.
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That's looking awesome so far, looking forward to seeing the progress!
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Heck that looks like a primo stave Arvin.
Carry on. You got it under control.
Have you ever tried gluing on thin laminates on your built up handles. It really does help to keep them from popping off.
Bjrogg
+1 on the thin laminate handle build up.
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This certainly doesn't look like a typical AW bow...but I like it. :OK It will be fun watching what you end up with on this one Arvin. :BB
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Looking good Arvin, lots of heat corrections but you love that anyway. ;) :)
Pappy
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Cleaned up the handle a bit.
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O ya, looking like a bow now, that should be a smooth sweet shooter. Nice job. :)
Pappy
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That is coming along nicely. Really looking forward to seeing how you finish it up. There is a lot happening in only 58 inches.
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Looking good.
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It continues to amaze me how receptive Osage is to heat. A lot of pretty snaky staves have been tamed by you guys.
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I think I can get it pretty straight from here reducing the edges when braced. I have water buffalo horn but I think I will keep it simple with Osage tip overlays.
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Question?? Should follow the grain , not worry about it. Or stop the bend there. It will work some.
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That happens about at point of drill bit. That’s a bend profile on a 56” bow.
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I’m in the follow the grain camp.
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Bentstick We thank alike. I did what I could with it. I got the tip overlays on and got to brace . I dislike tillering recurve bows. That’s why I don’t build many.
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Looking darn nice for something originally headed to the fire pit.
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The more character they have the more I follow the grain. If it’s cooperative Osage it just steers my draw knife following the grain.
Unless your wood wants to tear out. I really like my draw knife for laying out my bows.
Bjrogg
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That was where I had to go around that knot. I moved the layout on that end as best I could.
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Looking good Arvin.
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34@24
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Looking darn nice for something originally headed to the fire pit.
Would second that!
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It is looking very much like a bow Arvin. I always try to follow the grain, but it's the only way I know. I see lots of bows being made that don't follow that rule and they appear to work, but I don't know why. I can't wait to see how well it does when you test shoot it. :OK
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I always try and follow the grain also, but depends on where the run off is, last few inches from the tips not so much, but in the main part of the limb or near the fads , Always. Nice looking bow Arvin, looks like it worked out just fine to me. :)
Pappy
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Anyone ever have a bubble raise up during a heat session??? This is weird!
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Can’t say as I have ever seen that before Arvin.
Bjrogg
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Can't say I have either. Could be a resin pocket or something similar. You never really know what is under a ring until you remove it and that would be ashamed to do with this bow considering the work you put into it. Can you tell if the bubble is hollow?
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No I can’t push it down but I know it’s hollow.. drill a hole and fill it with glue??? It’s not affecting it right now. It’s about 3/8x1/2” oval.
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I’ve never seen it. What part of the limb is it on.?
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I'd say at least drill a hole and put glue in it. might clamp it until the glue sets. I'd be curious to know what it is so if there is a failure an autopsy may be the thing.
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Circling back to the grain run-off discussion earlier in the thread - I got to thinking. Every bow is made to taper towards the tips, some to pretty thin delicate tips.
So, grain run-off always happens for a good portion of the limbs length depending on where you start your taper. No way to avoid it.
I guess we are only concerned with severe run-off where the grain takes a sharp turn off the edge of the bow?
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Burnsie, that has been my experience.
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Mid limb. Ya I was thinking the same about run off in tip tapers.