Trying to get this to post but having some difficulty.
This is the first time I have submitted a bow. It is a Bamboo backed Osage long bow. The design is a new one for me. It is based on Kenny McKenzie’s 64” R/D glass long bow. The Osage I used in this bow is some of the exceptional material I get from Kenny. “Quality in, quality out” I always say.
I made this form out of MDF and after hearing of some failures with MDF in airhose bow forms I retired it. The glass bows that people turn out on this form design are really good shooters so I decided to see what a laminated Bamboo backed bow would come out like.
I modified the form by removing some of the reflex in the handle. I only used the lower half and bar clamped the middle and the tips, then evenly spread more clamps in between. I made the mistake of putting this bow in the oven for about 2 hours. I used TBIII glue. NOT A GOOD IDEA to cook TBIII!
TBIII will start to release at around 150. I got schooled in time from some of my Tradgang buddies and took it out of the oven and let it set in the clamps for 24 hours. So far I have had no problems with adhesion and the glue lines are great. Lesson learned.
This bow is 63.5” nock to nock. It is 40# at 28“.Since Kenny’s form is a front side up style designed for glass bows, I had to glue the Osage lams together with the power lam in between first then glue the bamboo once they were set.
I glued the Bamboo and Osage together using the edge of my bench top. I used spring clamps to secure the bow mid limb and blocks under the tips and riser section. I used a width and thickness tapered piece of flattened bamboo and left the Osage at its 1.5” width.
I use the basic design that Mike Westvang used in his chapter of Traditional Bowyers Bible IV I believe. One taper and one parallel lam of Osage backed with bamboo. A power lam to stiffen the handle section and three lams of hardwood glued together for the handle. In this case I used Osage and Cocobolo. The tips are black glass and Cocobolo.
I hope you enjoy looking at this bow. I really enjoyed making it and love shooting it!
