Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: BrokenArrow on December 22, 2014, 04:51:16 pm

Title: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: BrokenArrow on December 22, 2014, 04:51:16 pm

I have a 60 inch osage orange stave which I have reduced to a roughed out bow, it weighs 23 oz.
Question, should I tiller before or after I recurve the tips??

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: missilemaster on December 22, 2014, 04:53:29 pm

I would floor tiller first.

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: occupant on December 22, 2014, 08:24:48 pm

If you use dry heat to recurve, you will probably have to do some more tillering.

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: bubby on December 23, 2014, 12:09:21 am

I like to get it to around 20"before i steam in the hooks

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: Pat B on December 23, 2014, 01:41:21 am

Like bubby, I like to tiller it out a bit before bending the hooks. This gives you thinner wood to bend plus you are sure everything is going well.  Be sure both limbs are bending evenly and together, get the recurves straight and its all down hill from there.

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: Pappy on December 23, 2014, 04:57:53 am

Same as bubby at about 20 inches ,but usually use  dry heat to bend depending on the wood.   Osage most always dry heat. :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: Badger on December 23, 2014, 10:12:15 am

 Agree with the above, 90% of the time I use dry heat but once in a while I get a piece that I need to steam.

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: xpertbushman on December 23, 2014, 10:54:53 am

When bending the tips, why would one use steam over dry heat?  Does it depend on the wood?

Title: Re: Osage Orange Advice
Post by: bubby on December 23, 2014, 03:03:20 pm

Quote from: xpertbushman on December 23, 2014, 10:54:53 am

When bending the tips, why would one use steam over dry heat?  Does it depend on the wood?
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It depends on the wood and how radical of a bend, you can get a pretty good bend on osage with dry heat but not most white woods, and bending in recurves imo steam is the way to go