10 years later... my Osage is ready.

[lenador]

I've been gone for 10 years from the forum and I'm finally going to work on my Osage hunting bow. I harvested and split them about 10 years ago and they have been drying for quite some time so I think they are ready. I shot the heck out of my red oak board bow and even killed a squirrel with it.
 I do hate to admit it but 6 years ago I moved I to a new house that's on a corner and I don't have a place to shoot so I have not shot the bow more than 3-4 times. I'm sort of focused on how I can make a safe place to shoot my bow without upsetting the neighbors. I think I have a plan that I can make a good safe back stop.
 For the Osage bow I'm thinking like 64" and something like 50#. I want to have a proper arrow rest on this one also.

[Pat B]

Better late than never!!!     A piece of old carpet is a good back drop for arrows with blunts or field points but not for broadheads.
 Get as many thoughtful shots as you can between now and hunting season but concentrate of each shot as if it were the one at Mr. Big.
 If you want to have a narrow arrow pass you can use a floppy rest. I use them on most of my bows and love it.

 You can see one here on this bow


these are the how to directions that Mickie "the ferret" Lotz sent me on how to make a floppy rest.

[lenador]

I like it! I have a half peice of 3/4 ply wood and some used carpet scrap so I might be able to make something work. I don't know if I'll be confident enough to seriously hunt this year but I might get some tags and get in the woods just in case the right shot comes along.

[lenador]

Having a hard time getting pictures to work. I suppose I'll have to host them somewhere.
 Either way, I have 4 staves and 3 of them look like I could get 2 bows each. 1 was a little skinny and was perfectly straight but hase a left right kick on one working limb area and a bulge right in the ha for area. Since my first bow was a nice straight peice of red oak board I am going to use the less than left stave for this first attempt. It'll be a bit of a challenge and if it doesn't work out at least I'll learn something.
 I'm hoping the bulge in the handle area works out to be nice way to get a close to center shot rest. We shall see.
 I took it down to sap wood last night to get a better look. I'll post pictures once I figure it out.

[bentstick54]

If you can figure out how to post photos there’s lots of guys on here that can give good helpful thoughts. Remember Osage is very receptive to heat corrections, and there are several ways to go about it. Good luck, looking forward to following your progress.

[Pat B]

Lenador, Imgur is a good hosting site, it free and it will resize your pics for posting on forums. I've used it for a few years with good results.
 

[lenador]

 

[lenador]

My first impression was that the stave to too skinny. I'm the type of person who over thinks so I'm just sort of working on it until it doesn't work... or does.

[bentstick54]

You will want to follow any wiggles in the grain, not your straight string line for your layout in case that was your plan.

[lenador]

Yeah I was planning to follow the grain. The string was for photo reference. That what I was getting saying I felt like the grain might allow me to have a close to center shit at the arrow rest.

[Muskyman]

Was looking at the car first trying to figure out what it was. Hope you don’t have any bug issues under the bark on that Osage. The rings look good on the picture showing the end of the stave.
Hope it all works out for you.

[lenador]

It's a 53 Ford customer line club coupe. Still has the flathead too. I killed the transmission in it so it's a little dusty right now.
 The bark on was something I didn't realize was a big issue. Being a newbie it's hard to find solid information on the internet. For every yes there is a no. They have been stored in a heated garage  for 10 years so hopefully there isn't any bug issues.

[Hamish]

I'm liking that snakey stave. They don't come around often. Save that one for later, if you are a little out of practice. 
Any short or skinny staves might not make a full draw bow with a stiff handle. They will make great narrow longbows that bend through the handle.

[lenador]

I'm liking that snakey stave. They don't come around often. Save that one for later, if you are a little out of practice. 
Any short or skinny staves might not make a full draw bow with a stiff handle. They will make great narrow longbows that bend through the handle.

My last bow was a bend through the handle bow. Trying to make a work horse of sorts with the next one. This one is plenty lkg tmat 70" of stave to play with. I don't want to waste it though for sure but I have back ups I suppose. I like to work the hard way. All the staves are from the same log so I'd imagine they will be similar.

[lenador]

Took most of the sap wood down tonight and tried to clean the edges up a tad. Starting to worry it's too skinny from the way it split. The bottom part has some sections where it's shallow underneath. Hard to explain. Either way, I'm holding true to my word and I'm going to work it until I can't, even if it it's up being a bit of a novelty.