49"shortie osage (FINISHED PICS ON PAGE THREE, GRIP ON 4)

[Joec123able]

Lol i was really anxious to get started. I cant wait to finish it 

Lol I hear ya on that don't get to excited and mess something up like I have done to many times lol

[osage outlaw]

That should be a super sweet short bow.  I like the short sinew backed bows. I made a very similar one the exact same length a couple of years ago.  I'm finishing up a 52" sinewed bow now. 

[BOWMAN53]

Thats the last thing i wanna do.

[BOWMAN53]

That should be a super sweet short bow.  I like the short sinew backed bows. I made a very similar one the exact same length a couple of years ago.  I'm finishing up a 52" sinewed bow now. 

Nice, do you have any pics of it?

[osage outlaw]

Here is the 49" bow

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,33741.0.html


I only have a few cell phone pics of the one I am working on.

This was during tillering.  I got it bending more in the handle area now.




I narrowed the handle to a little less than 3/4" wide and deep.  It starts to bend at full draw. 
Here is an early braced picture




I'm working on the finishing details now.

[BOWMAN53]

Wow, those are both awesome bows. Im still not sure how i wanna finish this one yet

[osage outlaw]

Thanks. 

[hedgeapple]

OO, a cut in handle, bendy handle bow is a tough nut to crack.  You actually need to tiller through the handle.  My mentor, GMC, was the master of it IMO.  Do a search of GMC to see some of his bows.  I've shot many of them, locust, hedge and mulberry.  They chrono-ed between 170 to mid 180's.  Super fast, super flat and super smooth.  You in up with the thickest portion of the handle being about where you hand touches the bow, then tapers from there out about 1/2 to 3/4" passed the fades.  His method of operation was to get the bow bending evenly while making sure it was bending at the fades slightly.  Then with 3 to 4 inches left to target draw length he'd work on getting the handle to bend (if I remember correctly. I was a very green newby at the time)

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Does the handle take set? I mean does it take noticable set?
That sounds incredibly diffucult but very cool. 180 FPS with a straight stave bow? Wow.

[hedgeapple]

TSS, I suppose the handle could take set just like any other moving part of the bow.  Set happens.  If you start with 3" of reflex and end up with 2" of reflex, you still have an 1" of set.  GMC's bow generally weren't as short usually 58-62" and drawing to 28" You could feel the handle bend the last 2 inches of the draw.

Here's some GMC bows
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,29640.msg392458.html#msg392458

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,27146.0.html

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,23127.0.html

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,21192.0.html

Here's what GMC had to say about this design, taken from the last link
   that handle area is built to bend, that's why its thin. The limbs are a little over 1/2 in thickness but this wood is super dense for locust. I could have gotten bye with a more narrow limb width but would rather error on the side of width with Locust holding a flat belly. This design is what I call a cut-in bend through the handle. The cut-in part allows me to maintain the limb width needed and still reduce paradox for the arrow. Its the best of both bendy/ stiff handle designs IMO. Its also a challenge to pull off, the hardest design that I know to tiller, but when its s right seems to perform quite well  . The downside would be creating a stress point, center of the bow (handle area) making it the most likely to brake, also. I've got a Hickory having a bad hair day to prove it.  Those are 3'' fades. Thanks for the nice comment on the bow. 

[Thesquirrelslinger]

That's soo cool!
Maybe...
Expect some locust in a few months if school doesn't interfere

[hedgeapple]

Clint, I hope you didn't think I was trying to put down your bow.  It's awesome.  You know I love your work and love the OO bow hanging in my rack.    I was just trying to point out another way to skin this cat.
Dave

[osage outlaw]

I knew you weren't Dave    And I wouldn't have cared even if you did.  You are right about there being more than one way to skin a cat,  or a bow for that matter.  Thanks for posting those links. 

Bowman53, I'm looking forward to seeing your bow all finished up. 

[BOWMAN53]

After four weeks the bow pulled up 3"  of reflex, but also twisted the bow alot too. Tillering was very frustrating, i finally ended up going by feel instead of actually looking at it. Turned out to be the most dead in the hand bow ive tillered so far. Got it to  around 60#@23" .  And holy bow god is this thing quick. Im putting on skins tonight.

[osage outlaw]

I bet that little thing does fire an arrow pretty quick.  Turned out great!  Can't wait to see it all skinned up.