Using light to put a design on my Osage

[Peter133]

So I heard that Osage loses its ugly yellow and gets the nice dark orange brown with exposure to sunlight. I was thinking I'd use this to make a design on the back of my bow. I figured I'd make a design with tape and leave it in front of a UV lamp for a while. Has anyone heard of anyone doing this? Also, how long does it take for a bow to darken naturally?

[toomanyknots]

Stickin the bow out in the sun for a good amount of time, like 5 or more hours, will darken the wood significantly. Good idea about the design!

[Bevan R.]

Just wondering, How you going to keep the design after you take your tape off?

[Peter133]

Just wondering, How you going to keep the design after you take your tape off?

Once the design is significantly visible I'm hoping that both the design and the rest of the bow wil,l continue to darken at equal rates, always keeping the same shade of difference. If this isnt the case I was thinking about making something that will attach to both nocks and cover the parts i dont want exposed. Or once Im happy with the tint I will coat it with a Uv resistant coating, but Im hoping the first idea works,

[Bevan R.]

I have taken Osage that was darkened and scraped it a little, bright yellow. after a few months, it was the same 'brown' as the rest and I could not tell where I had scraped.
I will be very interested in what you come up with.

[osage outlaw]

I think someone on here has already tried this.  I can't remember who it was.  That has been a while ago so maybe they can jump in and tell us how the design is holding up.

[gstoneberg]

I think your only hope of the design staying on the bow is to apply a UV blocking finish to the bow as soon as it comes out of the light.  Even then, over time I suspect the design will fade out.

George

[Stiks-N-Strings]

DVShunter did one with lettering on the belly and suntanned it. Looked pretty cool. Kinda curios to see how the colors darkened since it was done.

 I think he put vinyl decal lettering on the belly and removed them when the rest was dark enough.

[Dvshunter]

This was last years trade bow. I havent heard anything about it since the trade was over. Like sticks said i used stickers and then just peeled em. I suspect the color will eventually catch up, but it will probably take a long time.

[iowabow]

Well being a artist and a photographer it makes me think that an image could be shot onto a bow so that it would look like a black and white photo.  print a negative image of a deer on paper and wrap it on the bow place it in the sun and you will have a positive image of anything you want.  You could print camo and do the same.  The wood of the bow will behave the same way as the photo paper.

[M-P]

Howdy Folks,  I have an osage bow that I reworked the handle on.  The reworked areas are still visible ~ 3 years later, though they are close to blending now.    Has anybody tried UV blockers on a bow?    My dad was a big wood turner and he mentioned that wood turners often apply sun tan lotion  (on top of a good finish)  in an effort to keep the bright color of freshly worked woods, like osage and ERC.
Ron

[mullet]

M-P, I was thinking the same thing. James Parker told me you have to bleach purple heart to keep the purple color from changing as dark as osage.

[M-P]

I guess I'll just have to give it a try.   If anybody else tries it , let me know how it works out. 
Mullet    Bleach?   I wonder how that works.  I do know that purple heart does turn brown.       Ron