Osage static build (session 5 (the last) added)

[Aaron H]

Thanks guys, will continue as soon as possible/ find a photographer

very cool, how thick do you leave your tips whenever you are recurving?

Falcon, go to page one 5th pic.

Thank you simson, I must have missed that picture before. 

[simson]

I can watch this all day long and still wonder the How question. How do you do that? Simon, Do you think we have the ability and tools and knowledge to build self bows today better than they have ever been built before? And I'm speaking of appearance and performance of the self bow. What do you think? Looking good. Keep up the good work.

That is a good question. I personally came over some things while learning (and I'm still learning) I thought I've discovered something really new - but after studying museum bows I noticed it was still done in the past.
I believe we have better tools, more knowledge about for example physics that helps a lot understanding why one bow is good, the other not. Bowyering is a long journey trough interesting things and I became a better bowyer from bow to bow, but I don't think we are now building better bows than the old cultures. Think on the turkish composite - a level of skills that only a few of us can reach. just my thoughts.

[simson]

Well, hope you remember that thing …. let’s continue.

Sorry, I haven’t done much on that bow. I have to manage some parallel projects, so time is what matters.
O.k. this is what I’ve done till now:
Some finishing sanding on tips and handle
A string groove filed in the lever
Rounding the edges on backside and a bit more on bellyside
First coat of finish to prevent re-moistureing










As said before, the bow was braced over one night to let the wood settle in.
Now the reflex has decreased to 1¾”. In other words, the bow took a bit than ½” set.

The tiller looks now a bit uneven, lower limb is too stiff.
What do you think?
IMO a few scrapes on the entire lower limb and additional on both outer thirds a few scrapes?







When short drawing the bow, I mean I will not reach the 60# - feels a bit lighter. We will see the result, when shot in on the digi scale..

I'm thinking on heating in some reflex, to compensate the set and the probably underweight too.
Also a further mass reduction at the levers could add a few fps more. That are options for the future. Not sure for now. Perhaps better shoot it in for some hundred arrows.
Let me hear your thoughts

Ahh, forgot -  the bow is 58½”ntn, mass is 498grams (17½oz) and I want a 28” draw.

Will continue ASAP.

[bambule]

Maybe heat treating the limbs. The lower limb which is stiffer looks from the braced profile better for my eyes. So it is possible to make the both limbs equal via hot air that you didn't have to scrape the lower limb down.
Mass reduction at the tips is a good option ever.

jm2c

Greetz
Cord

[Pappy]

Looking very good, I think as you said a few scraps on the lower limb to even it up and if you are still good with the weight finish her up,it should be a smooth shooter, Very easy to miss weight on them high reflex or
recurve/static tip bows,that is why I usually don't do the tips until I have them out to 20 inches or so,don't fool me as easy that way. Beautiful work so far.
   Pappy

[Aaron H]

looking good, I think I would thin the levers a bit more.

[autologus]

Simon, your work astounds me.

Grady

[soy]

Bleib bei der stange

[simson]

Cord: Thanks for your input, will think on that. Nice to meet an other German here. I'm organizing a primitive (only!) rendezvous in Bavaria (weekend of August 15). Pm me, if you or anyone else here on this great site is interested.

Mark: thanks for your thoughts, it's interesting watching the different methods for making the same design ...

Grady: thanks man

Thad: Ha, I didn't know you are speaking German! Yeah, I will do that stick!

[Pappy]

Dang ,was hoping for more pictures, Love the way this one is coming along.
  Pappy

[Badly Bent]

Very sharp looker there Simon. I've been watching and enjoying the build along, really impressed that you got it that close and even at first bracing. Never done a static myself but seems to me like all would have to be right to string one up the first time and only have minor tiller adjustments left to finish. Looking forward to the money shot, I'm sure it will be dead-on when your done with it.

[simson]

Well wife is out of house – the workbench had been crying.

What I've done:
Thinned the tips about a third
Narrowed the tips about a third
Deepened the string groove
Reduced mass at horn
Scraped a bit on the lower limb (about 10 long scrapes from fade to tip)
Additional scrapes both lims outer thirds, begin scrape the whole limb and getting shorter

It came along … with a few grains of yeller scrapes

The bow still holds the 2” reflex



Thought an arrow strike plate would look cool, decided bone as material

I have some bone plates prepared as sheet about 3 or 4 mm.
Sawed out a triangle and sanded in some matching curves with a belt sander.



The contour is cut in, then the hole is done – all with a simple NT-Cutter.





After some carving, I got it just sand down – but with the bone as highest place of course.






Let's call the bow done now, I will post it in an extra thread for easier handling

here it is:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,47603.0.html

[Aaron H]

looks awesome simson, love that bone inlay