My first completed (almost) selfbow! "PA Slim"

[wapiti1997]

I traded some of my green osage staves, ( it was all crooked and stuff anyway)to blackhawk, for some seasoned staves that I could work now..  I picked the thin one first as I figured it would be the most dry...

I roughed it out, then heat treated it on a caul to add some reflex and straighten.

I made a gizmo and tillering tree and had to do a lot of gizmoeing and scraping to get both limbs even without flat spots.

I added a rest made of elk antler and deer hide, and antler overlays..

Here are the first 3 shots from 15 yards from this bow.


It's 61" ntn, 1 1/4 at the fades to midlimb. then tapering to 1/2" tips. 48#@28", I was hoping for 45-50 pounds!

[wapiti1997]

It shoots pretty sweet.  I know I can take a deer or three with it this fall.  All I need to do now is put the finish on it..

Thanks for all the advice and the wealth of knowledge here!

[JW_Halverson]

Well, better luck on the next one.  If you like, I will send you a well cured stave in exchange for it and pay shipping both ways.  I'm just that nice of a guy, ya know?   

Love the full draw pic.  You look so deadly serious, like you are taking out a zombie about to attack your family!  I'm guessing if you can get close to a deer you will seal that deal right quick, if the foam target test is any indicator of potential.  For that matter, with a decent weight arrow, broadheads sharp enough to slice, and waiting for the perfect shot, that thing will put paid on the bill for an elk, too.

Good work, thanks for sharing!

[Danzn Bar]

Hey Joe,
Man that's look good enough to make some meat.  Great job on your first!, Got anything but carbon to shoot out of her??? Let me know and we'll work on some cane arrows.
DBar

[hatcha]

Very nice man, I like it a lot!

[SLIMBOB]

Nice job!  Full draw looks pretty sweet.  Congrats and welcome to the asylum.

[wapiti1997]

Thanks!  I'm very pleased, it may not be perfect, it did take some set, probably due to not exersizing the limbs enough after removing wood?

Bill, I don't have anything other than carbon..  I plan to make some cane arrow eventually, my patches aren't mature enough, and the one big one I had access to flowered and died 3 years ago. 

I ended up getting 3 staves from Blackhawk and one from that huge tree that osage outlaw cut and split up a year or so ago  (the impressive stave photo seen round the world!)  I do have some wood to play with, and I have a few roughed out bows from my staves hanging in the rafters..

I have a maple bow laid out, but boy IMO, I'd much rather work osage with the drawknife.. 

Looking forward ot the next one...

[blackhawk]

Congrats Joe...that's a good first bow...glad to have helped ya out...that was a good beginner stave to learn on.....now take those learning lessons and go make another

[Weylin]

Thanks!  I'm very pleased, it may not be perfect, it did take some set, probably due to not exersizing the limbs enough after removing wood?

Great bow! that's one to be proud of, especially for a first. If I were to guess I'd say that your set comes from a narrow and relatively short bow for the weight and draw length. Not that its a big deal or anything. A little set doesn't hurt much. I just don't think that exercising the limbs would have helped at all. The tiller looks great, so I doubt that's the problem. You just pushed the envelope a bit for your design. Can't wait to see your next one.

[Danzn Bar]

Sounds like you need some primitive arrows to shoot out of her.  What is the draw length, and poundage to start with?......  to fine tune the arrow, do you happen to know how far form center she's shooting?
DBar

[John D]

48#@28", I was hoping for 45-50 pounds!

Hey wapiti, this right here is significant.  I know I'm not alone in producing an under-weight bow early on... And later on...  Good looking bow; thanks for sharing.

John D. 
Boise

[rps3]

Congrats on your first bow, it does look like it could get the job done easily.

[hedgeapple]

Very nice looking bow there, Joe.  Good shooting to boot.

I am so humbled seeing all the positive things that have come from my little gathering.

BTW, no KY elk for me this year.  Oh well, that'll just give more time to deer hunt. 

[wapiti1997]

I didn't draw either Dave...   Thanks again for putting on your "event"  it was very helpful to me..  I look forward to the next one!

BTW Dave, I had to make my own, since you wouldn't let me shoot yours... Then again, you should just hang yours up after that first shot!!!

Thanks everyone!

[hedgeapple]

Joe, you can shoot the bow, now.  You just asked right after the most stressful stringing operations I've ever done. I don't know if you wandered into the workshop during the stringing, but I was near an anxiety attack.  If that new string had stretched any more and flipped around backward one more time, I would have probably passed out.  That is so NOT like me.  But, it was the first bow that was ever gifted to me and probably the "craziest" bow I'll ever own.  So, I was a bit protected, selfish.  I apologize.

I will still say that osage was so happy to be home and beautiful that it just wanted to show off.  Nothing to do with me at all.  But, I will deer hunt with it next season, especially on the farm.