osage boards, how to proceed?

[hedgeapple]

I have 2 osage boards, 1 3/4 x 5/8 x 62", fully quarter sawn.  I want to make 2 hickory backed osage bows from these; one for a friend whose draw length is 28 1/2" and one for me--draw length 26 1/2".  I want 50 to 55# from these.  My thoughts are to flip the tips for a static recurve and glue in about 2 to 3" reflex.  I'd love to hear your guys thoughts and advice.

[aznboi3644]

I would try a D/R bow.

[Pat B]

I have done this on a few occasions with good results. Hickory backed osage makes an excellent hunting weight(45# to 65#) bow. My bows were1 3/8" to 1 1/2" at the fades out about 6" and a straight taper to 3/8" tips. I added 3" of reflex at glue up and left the tips straight. By floor tillering the belly first to a nice even bend you will get that even bend in the glue up. Flipping the tips a little will ease finger pinch and possible stacking but for my 26" draw I didn't find it necessary. You could reflex the last 12" of so of each tip and get the same effects. I have never recurved a board bow so I can't help with that.

[hedgeapple]

Thanks Az an Pat.
AZ, a r/d bow has been stirring around in my mind, but I'm not sure my skill levels is quite up to that challenge, yet.
Pat, good advice about floor tillering before the glue.

[KenH]

Hedgeapple - for future reference, where did you acquire Osage boards???  Everyone has staves, but not boards, and I prefer working with boards.

[aznboi3644]

I would glue it up and put it in the corner...have some very nice straight grained red oak slats I plan on gluing into a D/R long bow and setting aside until I am up to tillering them...I'm still working on getting a d-bow tiller well enough out to 26".

But gluing it up would be like roughing out a stave and setting it aside untill later

[sulphur]

i have used osage boards several times.  the only failure was one with a suspect hickory backing.  In my experience kiln dried osage does not react as good to dry heat.  also the ring lines may split when you try to recurve the tips because its qtr sawn.  probably best to just go with reflexed tips.  should be two great bows!

[Justin Snyder]

I would start at about 1 3/8" wide at the fades then taper to the tips. I like to add about 2" of reflex starting around midlimb and going out from there. Don't try to get more than a couple of inches of reflex.

[NTProf]

I have used boards from Pine Holllow Longbows. I made two hickory backed bows from them that still shoot great. Anyone find another source for osage boards?

[hedgeapple]

AZN, I'm really needing to finish these bows in couple months, so waiting is not an options

Justin, thanks for the advice.  And thanks to rest of you for your suggestions.

Since there is some concerns about condition and origin of the boards, I'll go ahead and give the history for them at risk of being tarred and feathered.    I cut the tree a couple months ago and cut the boards out from one of the staves.  Self bowyers--I did keep the other staves for self bows.  As a matter of fact the first I'd planned to make a board out of, was just too pretty not to be a self bow.  It begged me to make a self bow from it.  It's roughed out and drying right now.

So, these boards are not kiln dried if that make a differ as to whether it is adviceable to recurve or flip the tips.