June-December snakey Osage marriage

[Jim Davis]

Catchy title, huh? Well this bow is made from a billet from a healthy tree joined to a billet from a tree that was about 1/3 dead. Both billlets are kind of snakey and they are joined by the "holey" matrimony of a steel sleeve. The bow is a takedown with the billet ends epoxied in. One end of the sleeve was coated with wax inside to make it possible to remove it after the epoxy cured. I have made four or five bows that way and like the results.

The bow is 66" ntn and pulls 43# at 28 inches. Very nice to shoot and the only thing it does is propel the arrow.

[dirthas]

Man that is cool, first I've seen of combined new/old wood. Do you think the limbs will "age" inconsistently after shooting it in?

[Jim Davis]

More pix.

I like simplicity and rarely put overlays on tips. Don't need them.

As for the bare round handle, sometimes I wrap in leather, but it doesn't make the bow shoot any better, so usually not. (I admit to liking the look of leather.

Think about this: With a round handle, the string cannot be off the center. The handle simply rotates to the balance point. Run that around in your head a while. Draw pictures if you have to. I like round handles. So did archers for hundreds of years--or thousands.

Going out to shoot it some more.

Jim Davis

[Jim Davis]

Man that is cool, first I've seen of combined new/old wood. Do you think the limbs will "age" inconsistently after shooting it in?

Since both limbs were good and dry, I don't think their stiffness will change, but I expect the yellow limb will brown over time and they will look alike.

Jim

[upstatenybowyer]

Alright Jim! Totally unique and easy on the eyes. I love it!

[MulchMaker]

I really like this bow. Got lots of character. Very attractive lines. Takedown just makes it cooler well done.

[justsomedude]

What did you use the sleeve? I have a McBroom 2pc takedown and would love to be able to make one myself.

[Jim Davis]

Bow started out with about 3/4" of reflex. Now has about 1/8" of reflex after "resting," about 3/8" string follow when first unstrung.

Jim

[bentstick54]

Good job on some challenging billets.

[penderbender]

Very cool bow! Cheers- Brendan

[Jim Davis]

I have been  using 1-1/8" OD seamless mild steel tubing. I get the draw-over-mandrel material from Online metals or Speedy metals, also online.

I do use a lathe to cut it to length and round the edges, but careful work with a hacksaw and files would look fine. I don't use an inner sleeve, just make the wood a nice push fit, coat it with epoxy and push it in. That's for the first limb. for the second, after the first epoxy has cured, I coat the inside of second end of the sleeve with wax, then epoxy the second limb in. I do line up the limbs rotationally so that if the wax doesn't let  go easily, I can shoot the bow until it does.

I pin the fixed end with a round-headed brad and put a light mark in the other end of the sleeve and the base of that limb with a cold chisel to register the limb when reinstalling it.

Jim

[wizardgoat]

Nice bow, I like the 2 contrasting colours on each limb.
A take down is still on my list

[BowEd]

Nice work on a characterish take down bow.Nice to hear your process too of the handle.I did that once with osage from 2 different trees.Worked out fine.It was long ago and I should make another.

[Danzn Bar]

Nice bend on that one Jim......
DBar

[selfbow joe]

Very cool bow