Recovery Osage

[gstoneberg]

After breaking my crooked osage bow, I began making a takedown.  Before I could finish I received a call from a man from church who wanted me to build a bow for his son-in-law out of bodark.  He was very specific, not osage... bodark.  Maybe he was thinking bois d'arc, but I don't think so.  I got a chuckle out of that.   Anyway, I was so gung ho I got to tillering too fast and hinged the upper limb, you can see it here on the right:


I contemplated starting over, but then remembered the sister billet I had worked to a growth ring for my crooked bow takedown.  I began to think that maybe I could recover from the earlier blunder. The billet was pressed into service and Z-splices were cut in it and the original lower limb which hopefully had enough wood left for 50lbs of draw weight.  The splice came out pretty well:



I tillered as carefully as I could, but could not get 50lbs.  After cutting a couple inches off the bow it came out to 47lbs@28" and 64" long.  Not sure if that tiller is good enough to take a couple more inches off the length.



I was trying to time that last picture and get full draw, but I wasn't quick enough.   I'm going to try and get him to shoot it before I do anything, he may like it that weight.   I still need to clean up the handle and add some tip overlays.  Thinking about mule deer antler again.

I wish it were better, but I'm glad it's a bow.  I'm still wondering if it could handle being shorter to get a couple more pounds, what do you think?  There is no backing on it.

Thanks,

George

[Thwackaddict]

Great job!! i think you could take an inch off each end and that should get you over 50?I am a fan of antler tip overlays my buddy jus gave me a whole bag full of tips and small antlers.

[gstoneberg]

Whew, I did take another inch off the bow and it lives!  I never did weigh it, maybe later today.   Here's Dwayne, shooting his bow for the first time early this morning.



Still needs the finishing touches, but I think it is gonna work.

George

[youngbowyer33]

i can't see any pictures

[gstoneberg]

Me either???  Ah-ha, the web server died for some reason on my home linux server.  I just restarted it  That should be better.

Thanks for letting me know.

George

[youngbowyer33]

now I see them. Great job!

[Alpinbogen]

Looks nice.  Great save and great way to recycle a blunder.  (Must have missed that earlier.)   

[Thwackaddict]

Good job george! Looks great,what ya goin finish er up with?

[gstoneberg]

We talked about using some cedar heartwood for tip overlays.  I can bring some home from the lease this weekend.  I hope to cut a couple for staves too.     He wants the limbs unbacked so I'll likely take the easy way out and spray it with poly.  I'm going to wrap the splice with thread for strength and then do a basic handle wrap.  It'll be a pretty simple bow, but both of us like it that way.

He has a son that is chomping at the bit to build a bow.  Hopefully he'll bring him over and we can get going on that.  More fun coming!!

George

[Thwackaddict]

sounds like fun,good lord willin i hope to take a hog with this bow while i'm down there.The ultimate hommage i think!!

[gstoneberg]

I'd like that.  One of the things I'm doing this weekend is setting up a couple more bow stands.  The lease was just set up for rifle when I got on but that's changing.  I don't have any 2-person sets yet though.  Gotta work on that for you and Parker.

George

[Thwackaddict]

Thanks man,that sounds great!I'm chompin at da bit to get down there.Shot my bow some more this evening.I like it more and more everytime i pick it up.It makes me smile

[George Tsoukalas]

Nice fix! Jawge

[Postman]

Never tried a splice, it looks good.  Nice save, and  good luck on the lease!

[gstoneberg]

The lease was a bust for hunting, no hogs.  I think the recent storm knocked some acorns down early and the hogs are busy gorging themselves.  I finally made some progress on finishing up this bow.  Did a wrap on the handle to reinforce the splice:



The picture revealed that I need some more super glue to finish gluing the wrap down.   I like the blue against the osage, too bad my handle wrap leather is black.

This was my first try using mesquite for a tip overlay.  I think I like it.


Hoping to finish the bow up tomorrow.

George