Help with new bow

[iowabow]

I used the caul that Gary recommended on the cd I bought from three river archery.  I think it is about 3 inches total.  I ran a string on the back and I have 5/16th left in it which I am sure will be gone I am sure after it is broke in.  I am really happy to be able to finally make a real bow from start to finish for the most part (aside from help in here) on my own.  This by far the fastest bow I have made can't wait to see the fps reading.  When it was heated into the form I don't think I got the full three I was afraid it would split so I did not force the issue.

Just curious,do you remember how much reflex you started with before tillering?Or how much set it took on ya?Looks like on your pictures after shooting a few arrows it still retains some reflex or at least flat.Nice efficient looking bow John.

Good luck Gus on yours and I would leave extra wood on the curves and knot areas.   That was what I was told and what I did and it seemed to work.
In the picture below you can see the reflex that remains and the stain I applied from walnut juice. 

[BowEd]

Looks very good.I bet it does spit an arrow fast!!!Them old deer won't stand much of a chance.LOL.Unless you shoot like me over them sometimes.LOL.You can always recurve the tips a bit for more reflex,but performancewise that bow of yours should hold for a long long time.The bow gods sure did us a favor creating osage orange.

[iowabow]

I have a stave that I am going to work on this spring and I am going to flip the tip on that one.  I am hooked now can't wait to make the next bow.   I even elected to work on this one a little rather than hunt so I am not going to start on till spring or I wind wind up in the shop during hunting season. .  I am going to debark a couple of staves for the next few bows. 

[JW_Halverson]

Even the wheelie guys will think you are pretty cool when you pull that stick outa the sock!  That bow done went and got itself some STYLE!

[BowEd]

Iowabow you say you might debark some staves.One thing I've had luck with hurrying the process of making a bow which is no secret is to rough the bow out to 3/4 inch thick limbs 2 inches wide [to avoid any lateral drying twist]with the handle cut out too [side profile].If the stave has been sitting around for a year you should'nt need to seal the back,if it's green I sure would.Either way I'd still seal it.[No sense in taking chances].I've clamped them into reflex when green and had some success.Your year old stave could go into your house to dry faster.I'd let a green stave air dry in your garage at cooler temps for at least a couple of weeks first.I don't use moisture testers.Nothing really against them in their own place.Cabinet making they fit in good but bow wood goes through a lot more stress than a cabinet door.I just have humidity guages and a weight scale and go by the TTB 4 graph Tim Baker made.Humidity guage should be by bow wood.I probably should be reprimanded for encouraging you to make more bows cutting into your hunting time...LOL.I'll just plead guilty and take my lashes....LOL.

[BowEd]

JW even those wheelie guys a lot of times are'nt impressed by seeing a beautiful self bow...LOL.What I like to say to them is why do you need sights to shoot a bow accurately?I know the answer they have but then I say you can't be much of a deer hunter if you can't get within 20 yards of a deer.Is'nt that what HUNTING is all about......LOL.