Osage Bendy Layout *Now IPE/Bamboo Bendy

[Bayou Ben]

I've been wanting something more primitive to take with me in the woods, so I'm trying my luck at my 1st bendy handle bow.  The stave is pretty clean except for this knot pretty much in the center.  Would it be better closer to the handle or farther out in the limb? or does it matter? 
I'll leave a little extra width there when laying out the width profile. 

[half eye]

Ben,  unless you are going to weights that are really heavy just lay it out to what suits the stick and your personal likes. On osage, elm or ash you should have no problems at all.  Just dont do the wide and thin route....1" to 1-1/8" wide and go with 3/4"  thick over the center 1/3 and about 1/2" thick at the tips.  Those dimensions will need to be taken down some cause that size will be a mule for sticks in the 48" to 55" length range.
    'course everybody knows I nuts anyways so take it with a grain of salt.
rich

[Bayou Ben]

Haha, sounds good Rich.  I'm glad you replied.  You are one of my main inspirations for wanting to build this style bow.  My plan was to go 60" ntn , 55 lbs @ 28".  Are those thickness dimensions still good for that length?
Thanks

[half eye]

Just to make sure you have enough make the middle 1/3 of the bow 1-1/2" wide tapering the width from that point to 3/4 inch tips....side profile 7/8" thick for 12-16 inches in the center and a straight thickness taper to 1/2" thick tips.....work your bend in from the tips to an even bend....this should be over the weight you want...before you start tillering the bow's thickness bring it down to 1-1/4 or 1-1/8 in the middle 1/3rd and check again....you'll still be strong so tiller the belly evenly (to keep the bend nice and round). If it is still obvious you are over weight then Narrow to 1" wide over the center 1/3rd and bring the weight to goal by even belly tillering....you will be surprised how small the final dimensions are, I'm sure
rich

[half eye]

Forgot to say, these bows power comes from the middle of the bow so by tillering toward the center you come out with a circular tiller....if ya do it like a rigid handle you are more apt to have too much bend in the middle (equals under weight bow) dont be surprised  if the finished bow has parallel thickness and width  over the center 8 to 10 inches and the bend will be perfectly round.
rich

[Bayou Ben]

Thanks for the detailed reply.  A lot of stuff to digest here.  Tillering from the tips in will be new for me, but I think I understand.
I really appreciated it.  This information isn't easy to find! At least I couldn't find it.   

[half eye]

be careful of the darkside sir....
rich

[Bayou Ben]

Lol.  I thought I was already on the dark side with my laminated bows and cut in shelves....

[Sidewinder]

I love seeing Rich counsel a Patawan on the bendy handled bow.  With a stave like that he could probably get that weight and draw length out of a 50" bendy or less. Love it.
Ben, follow his guidance and you will be happy.   Danny

[burchett.donald]

   Just a warning Ben, Rich will take you to the primitive darkness...But, he will show you the light...Hope to see a circular bend from you soon...   Were fortunate to have Rich around here...
                                                                                                                               Don
                                                             

[TimBo]

Great info!  It does seem like layout "formulas" or suggested dimensions are much easier to come by for stiff handled bows. 

[Bayou Ben]

And thanks Don for your help early on getting my wheels rolling with this style.  Now I just need to finish up my plywood bow, and I can fully immerse myself in a primitive build 

[upstatenybowyer]

 

[Bayou Ben]

Sorry for switching this up, but I didn't want to potentially ruin an expensive osage stave before getting some bendy handle tiller experience.

I had a sliver of ipe left over from another build and a pre prepped bamboo strip, so I figured I would throw something together and see what happened.
 
This one is ipe/bamboo, 59" ntn, 7/8" wide at the handle, low brace @ 20" and 47#'s.  I tried to follow Rich's advice and get the outer limbs bending first, and I started making my way toward the middle. 
How's it looking?  Should I start working the inner's more at this point?

[half eye]

Ben, make the right limb (in your last pic) match the left just a little closer with JUST A LITTLE more bend about midlimb......then ya got a bow except for weight  maybe. your pics show a circle tiller if I ever seen one.   You should be able to draw that to 24" or so quite safely and check for symetry between the two limbs and if thats good your good to go.
    As you are working from here on out make sure to check the bow for bend in the middle......meaning that at 25' or so you should be able to feel the bend starting in your hand.....if you do leave it be if not then work the middle 1/3 outer ends maybe 1-2 scrapes at a time untill it feels like it just starting to bend. I'm going to mark up your pic to show you where to work the bend closer to the center.
     Once you got that done then your done.....if you need to loose a few pounds of draw weight use a flat board sander (the hand kind) sand 2-3 passes on each limb from tip to 2-3 inches from the centerline of the bow. Cant remember what weight and draw you was looking for but you got to be close unless your going way back.