Osage wizards, I need assistance

[Tracker0721]

Branching into bow building and chased a ring pretty darn easy- chased 3-4 for practice- but now I'm laying out the profile and have a problem. This split is only 62" long, just past halfway one side shrinks down to only 1" wide and it has a good pizza slice belly 1 3/4- 2" deep. Can I make this like a English long bow? 1" wide narrowing to 1/2" with a D shaped cross section? I've got a 28" draw and want a good 55-60# bow. Seems like a stretch but if anyone has done it and has a design I'd like to see it! Gonna wing it if not and let ya'll know!

[PEARL DRUMS]

You could. Or, turn the stave 90 degrees and make the sides the back and belly.

[PatM]

You say just past halfway it shrinks down.  How wide is it leading up to that point? There is nothing stopping a bowyer from making a bow that  has kind of flatbow inner limbs transitioning to longbow type outer limbs.

[Tracker0721]

I have a good 1 3/4" almost all along one limb then there's a knot dead center and the other limb shrink to 1" wide 5" past center and slowly grows till it reaches 1 1/4" 8" from the tip.

[blackhawk]

Sounds like you also might be able to cut it in half and flip the one end around then and splice it back together....might be pushing it tho for your stats for a novice...flip or curve the tips up to help string angle...but its possible to get those stats with a stiff handle bow that long...

Personally tho id make a narrow bend in the handle bow...your handle can be slightly narrower if you make your transitions smooth and elongated....you can make the handle one inch wide and make your working limbs 1 1/4" wide till mid limb then taper to 3/8" tips

[Pat B]

How about a pic or two. It makes guessing a lot easier.

[Tracker0721]

My only thought against bend in the handle is I have a massive knot going diagonally through the dead center of the stave, and by massive I mean about an inch in diameter shrinking to about 1/2" towards the "core". Could flip the limb, change my center to one side of the knot and make it a 60" bow. Boy that seems short. Is the 1" wide with a deep belly a bad idea? There some reflex to the piece already and if not for this thin spot I'd have a perfect stave. Pictures in T minus 10 mikes

[bushboy]

Here's one,62" long,7/8"@ the handle and 1-3/16" midlimbs.pulls 50 #. Plus @ 26".tips are flipped and shoots well.osage is amazing stuff!

[Tracker0721]

Perfect! I could maybe squeeze a little over an inch out of these limbs. What was your thickness and taper like? Beautiful bow you made

[bushboy]

the handle is about 1 inch thick and rather square in cross section.gradually getting wider and thinner out to the midlimb at 9/16ths the reversing back gradually to deeper and narrower towards the tips.kinda like a d bow in the middle to a flat bow at mids to a molly in the outer limbs.this design takes very little set and is one of my favorite styles.i don't measure thickness taper,just bend it on the floor till amhappy.good luck.

[Tracker0721]

Well I roughed it out and I'm liking the looks so far. Will be getting floor tillering done tonight or tomorrow. Settled on 1" wide limbs last 10" tapers to 1/2". Handle is 1" deep fading to 3/4" till near the tips. Definitely gonna be some learning done on this one.