Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Blacktail on June 28, 2013, 07:32:31 pm
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i haven't done this before so i am asking...SO,what are some of the dos and donts about it...and how do you go about doing it...i was thinking about just drawing a line down the highest part of the crown for a center line BUT i thought it would be better to ask..i know every one might have differant ways so lets here them..thanks john
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Look up the " how to make an Osage snake bow " by boarriorbows on YouTube part 1 or 2 shows he does it
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I would use a long straight edge or string to get the two tips and the handle to line up first. Sometimes though with a snakey bow it will twist if the snake is alot and make alignment go off, but it is still better to try to get it right from the start. When you have the two tips and the handle lined up, then you can follow the crown, :). Also, it is best if you can try to keep as little snake in the outer limbs as possible, to avoid twist. As alot of snake in the outer limbs could cause twist. But of course, all that aside, you also sometimes have no choice and just have to go with it and wing it with a crazy stave... which is just as fun.... >:D
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Look up the " how to make an Osage snake bow " by boarriorbows on YouTube part 1 or 2 shows he does it
Yup, its a good video. Mikes videos are great if your a visual learner.
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Follow the grain, follow the grain, and follow the grain :)
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Follow the grain, follow the grain, and follow the grain :)
If you get into trouble, sharpen your pencil, adjust the lighting, and follow the grain, follow the grain, follow the grain.
I always start by finding the center of the stave, lengthwise and widthwise. Then I follow that bit of grain to one end of the stave. Flip it around, and do the same on the other end. Sometimes I will then repeat with another grain line started a half inch off center on each side of the center line already established. With those three lines, it becomes much clearer. It allows me to shift the limbs left and right until I can either exclude a cluster of pin knots or get them pushed close to dead center.
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I made a centering tool that draws a line down the center(mol) of the bow. If Photobucket will let me I'll post pics. In the mean time search Trade Bows I've made. I did a step by step a few years ago and posted it here on PA.
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You must follow the lateral or vertical grain. Draw a line following it from tip to tip. I go through it on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/layout.html
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Look up the " how to make an Osage snake bow " by boarriorbows on YouTube part 1 or 2 shows he does it
+1
ive learnt tons of stuff from him.
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Look up the " how to make an Osage snake bow " by boarriorbows on YouTube part 1 or 2 shows he does it
+1
ive learnt tons of stuff from him.
Me to he is awesome he has always answered my questions on YouTube which I really appreciate
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I love snakey osage bows. I followed the grain on this one even though the string didn't line up the whole way through the handle. The arrow pass lines up with the tips though and it shoots good.
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Uh?...follow the grain 8) ....
id like to see pics of your stave and what kind of wood? if its super snakey with a sharp kink and turn it its usually wise to go a lil wider than normal and possibly even rawhide back it...there's a chance that they can break at those sharp turns n kinks because of the torque that gets put on them by abruptly going out of line...but I'm just guessing as you haven't posted a pic of what you have ...
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Cut the stave to lengh. Lay a weighted strand of bowsting end to end. Orient the stave in the bench vice so that... with the string on the crown at the ends, the string lays down the center of the stave in the handle area. Then, if feasible, mark a centerline under the string, just at the mid-section, extending from flare to flare. It's nice to have the handle area parallel with the string (unlike the bow in my previous post). If it's a stiff-handled design, you can cheat the grain some in the area where it won't bend if need be.
Mark the ends of the stave where the string hangs over the ends. This is the centerline. I like to also use a little torpedo level to extend this line vertically down the end of the stave. These plumb lines are used to help orient the bandsaw blade when cutting out the width profile. Then no matter how the limbs snake back and forth, all limb sides will be parallel. I reference them before I begin each cut and several times during each cut... more-so the snakier the stave is.
The next step is to connect those points, the centerline at the tips with the centerline at the flares, by following the grain. This is your lateral centerline.
To layout the width profile... since the stave is snakey, we obviously can't use a patten or straightedge. So divide each limb into several sections lengthwise. Do the math and divide it into as many sections as needed to create sections roughly 4 to 5" long. For instance, if the top limb is 28" long from flare to tip, diving by 7 gives us 7 sections 4" long. Be sure to divide the other limb into the same number of sections, even if it is a different length (assymetrical bow). If this bow had a bottom limb 1 1/2" shorter, we would divide 26.5" by 7 and get 7 sections 3.79" long... ahout 3 25/32" long. Draw a line across the stave at those places... perpendicular to the centerline.
Next we need to figure out the width at each section. If you want your limb to taper evenly from say 1 1/2" at the flares to 1/2" at the tips, we can do it like this... The difference in width between the flare and tip is 1". So we need to lose 1" in width in 7 sections. 1 ÷ 7 = .14 We need to taper down, or lose .14" total width per section.... which equals .07 per side... a little more than 1/16", on each side of the centerline. Layout those widths on each side of the centerline at each section and connect the dots while following the grain. These width measurements are identical on both limbs.... because they're both losing 1" of width in 7 sections.
That's pretty much it. The remaining work, shaping and tillering is done pretty much like any other bow.
Well, I'm at work, so I better go do something constructive :)
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I love snakey osage bows. I followed the grain on this one even though the string didn't line up the whole way through the handle. The arrow pass lines up with the tips though and it shoots good.
That's sweet Jeff...you skinning that? Better ::) ;D