First piece of osage to cross my bench. Opinions please.

[Carson (CMB)]

Fun to watch your first osage shape up.  Looking forward to the finale.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Come on PD, everyone knows recurves just look good and don't do anything else.

Dang it ! Thats right. I always forget Im wasting my time when I build statics. Dwardo, just keep telling yourself, Its just for looks, its just for looks, its just for looks. And when your done? You'll be pleasantly suprised..

[mikekeswick]

Looking good!
I'm going to buy some more osage too....I have a need to work on a yellow stave.

[dwardo]

The result of a nights steaming.




And a hangover...

[blackhawk]

Sounds like ya need a Bloody Mary  looking good...now dry heat in 1-2" of reflex thru the working limbs and you'll be ready to go

[mikekeswick]

And some some deflex out of the handle 
That stave will make a screamer 
Mildly rounded belly too, especially out of the fades.

[dwardo]

And some some deflex out of the handle 
That stave will make a screamer 
Mildly rounded belly too, especially out of the fades.

Sounds like ya need a Bloody Mary  looking good...now dry heat in 1-2" of reflex thru the working limbs and you'll be ready to go

Reflex, deflex, this is gonna be like the car Homer designed 
Going to remove a bit more wood and get it bending just a bit. So far its all by eye.
Then maybe steam in the deflex a little? Not had great results with dry heat that close to the handle before. Then dry heat in some reflex. Maybe just one or two beers tonight 

[nathan elliot]

That will teach me to have my head in a pile of shavings. Where did you get that Osage! Man I am loving this thread. Your not going to like it but you have to work less on them computer things and more on this strange yellow wood

[Pappy]

Looking very good,should be a real sweet shooter,looking forward to seeing it bend. Careful on getting it braced,with the tips and more reflex it will feel much heavier than it really is when first trying to brace it. It can fool you into thinking it is way to heavy very easy.
 Pappy

[Parnell]

This is a fun link, Dwardo!  I'm in your corner, buddy!  You've got a great start and there is something really enjoyable in seeing our American gold on a workbench over there.  I'll be watching!

[dwardo]

That will teach me to have my head in a pile of shavings. Where did you get that Osage! Man I am loving this thread. Your not going to like it but you have to work less on them computer things and more on this strange yellow wood

Ayup matey. Managed to pick the osage up cheap on a forum
Its a shame the computer stuff pays the bills or I would spend all my time playing with sticks  and yup its strange stuff indeed.
Looks like elm close up, works like yew and cherry. It is also happy under pretty much any tool sharp or scrape. Bends as easily as a politician too.

Looking very good,should be a real sweet shooter,looking forward to seeing it bend. Careful on getting it braced,with the tips and more reflex it will feel much heavier than it really is when first trying to brace it. It can fool you into thinking it is way to heavy very easy.
 Pappy

Hope so pappy, have been fooled many times with that early feeling draw. Hope not too again.

This is a fun link, Dwardo!  I'm in your corner, buddy!  You've got a great start and there is something really enjoyable in seeing our American gold on a workbench over there.  I'll be watching!

It is nice to have a physical reference here in front of me. I read so much about this fabled stuff.
If i can pluck up the courage I will be having a scape this eve but its about -1 in my workshop at the moment and suffering with man-flu i might wuss out. Its ok though the doctor says I will live despite my complaints;)

[dwardo]

Have not had the mindset to do much bow work recently, the most I have done is potter round and tidy up all the shavings.
I think sometimes unless your mind is upto it then you just make more mistakes and dont enjoy it.

This evening after a face drilling at the dentist I had some time to play with this bit of osage. Rough out an elm and reduce this yew a bit.

Now this is a tasty looking workshop floor!

#

Roughing out a yew longbow. Only tend to get to this every now and then as I am not thinking about longbows at the min.




The Osage is getting there  . This is the first time it has seen a string after cutting in some temp nocks.
I added about an inch of reflex to the outers. Could have done more but i think less heat will give me a better intro to the wood.
Currently about 1,5/8 of reflex and not budged at all yet.

Barely any eight on the string



Nice to see nothing jumps out so near brace. The shape the bow should be is getting much clearer in mind now even before its seen a string.

[Danzn Bar]

Looks like it's getting close to the short string....What do ya think?
DBar

[Don Case]

Wow! that is yellow isn't it. I've heard people say "yaller wood" but boy! I had a sports car that colour. That's going on my list. I guess the bow isn't that bright though.
Don

[dwardo]

Looks like it's getting close to the short string....What do ya think?
DBar

Oh so close. The second shot is nearly an inch brace if it wasn't for the handle depth, no idea what I will do with the handle yet.
So far its got to here with only the eye rather than a long string or muc floor tiller. So hopefully I have not annoyed the wood yet. I am sure I will upset it later on in tiller but its as fresh as a daisy so far.