Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: sailordad on April 12, 2008, 10:41:05 pm
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hi everyone,
well i broke down and purchased on OSAGE stave from another member of the PA community. he was more than generous about it too. not only did he send a stave that was chased to one ring that he said could be used as the back of the bow,but he also included an OSAGE sliver with the sapwood on (to be made into a kids bow) and some cane shafts for arrows(way to cool of him) so i have to send a huge thank you to RIDGERUNNER.
now i decided to start with the 0SAGE sliver and have my first try at chasing a ring. i have almost all of the sapwood off and don't know rich ring i should try to chase it to.
do i want a dark colored ring or a lite colored ring for the back of the bow? any advise would be helpful as i would really like this to work out.
thanks in advace to everyone.
peace,
tim
(http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/1900/1000410rx8.jpg)
so im thinking that i should use the first thick,dark ring from the back,this sliver is only 1 inch wide and almost 1 3/4 thick and 57 inches tip to tip.
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Tim, you want a darker heartwood ring. I try to choose the thickest one. How thick are the heartwood rings you have? Check my site for buildalongs. Jawge
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Light rings=spring (early) growth= weak You will know it when you remove it.
Dark rings=late growth = strong
That third ring down would be fine.
I'm thinking that "sliver" will make a hefty kids bow.
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I'd say the third one down too and it looks like you better have a big strong kid! That piece, if long enough, will make a 60# bow...easily! ;) Pat
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The third at least...I would go for that Big Fifth One down ....If that would leave you enough Meat for the Bow weight that you would want....
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I would use the second ring down for the back of the first bow out of that stave and carefully split it about 2" down for the second bow. A 4" deep stave will easily make two bows. Never waste good osage!
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If it was me, I'd chase the second one I marked. There is enough wood on there for two bows, but at 1 3/4" thick, you'd be taking a chance trying to piggyback it if you haven't done it before.Since this is your first time chasing a ring, you could chase the first marked one for practice before you go for the better one.That's a good looking stave, should make a good bow.
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thanks everyone.
i had thought about trying to piggyback it, but then talked myself out of it due to lack of experience.
now keep in mind this is just a "sliver" of OSAGE.
the real stave is still sitting on the shelf acclimating to my climate here in MN..
this one is 2x2x72 when i begin to work it i will post pics and ask lots of questions,maybe someone could talk me thru piggybacking it if possible ;D. but that wont be for a few weeks yet,maybe after buzzard season which is the end of may.
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As Pat says: "It don't take much osage to make a bow." You could probably get a hundred-pounder out of that "sliver."
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well then if thats the case i sure would like to get two bows out of the full size stave then.
i don't have trees to use for staves and also don't have lots of $$$ either to keep buying, so if it is possible to get two out of a stave thats 2x2x72 that would be great.
later today i'll get the wife's camera and take some pics of the real stave and see if you all think that would be possible with out wrecking it.
peace,
tim
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Occasionally, I go back and look at ends I cut off of staves I got when first started working with osage. I wish I had most of them back to try again. ::) Take pics of this "sliver"; both ends, the back, the belly and an overall view of the stave and post them here. Concentrate on this stave for now. Make the best bow you can with it and learn more about working osage and bow making in general. From what we can see about this "sliver" you should be able to make a bow of any practical weight and not just a kids bow...unless that is what you want to make.
Leave the other "real" stave on the shelf and out of sight, out of mind for now and concentrate on this one. Patience and concentration are very important in wood bow building. If you are thinking about the "real" stave while working on this "splinter" you will come up with a "kids" bow whether you want it or not. Make the best bow from this stave. After it is completed, no matter what the outcome, you will have a better knowledge of working osage and bow building than you do now. You will be better qualified to make decisions about the other.
I know how you feel not having access to osage or having to buy osage at the retail rate. But once you have made a few osage bows you will meet others that have access to osage and that are willing to share or trade with you. You will be surprised how much is out there and available to you reasonably. It might not be primo staves with no knots, twists or hoop-tee-dos but "bad" osage is still better than most other woods in being able to make something from nothing.
Osage is my favorite bow wood but almost any wood will make a decent(or excellent) bow if design parameters are followed for that wood. I have just completed 2 bows using "second string" bow woods that I will put against any of my osage bows. Both white woods(HHB and guava) but neither should have to stand down to osage as far as performance goes.
You have access to some of the best wood bow builders in this country, probably in the world and most will give you the help and advice you need to become a successful wood bowyer. You, on the other hand have to do it so try not to muddy the waters with thoughts of the other "real" stave. Concentrate on this one, take your time, ask questions, take pics to help us help you and you will come away a better wood bowyer for it. Pat
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If it was me, I'd chase the second one I marked. There is enough wood on there for two bows, but at 1 3/4" thick, you'd be taking a chance trying to piggyback it if you haven't done it before.Since this is your first time chasing a ring, you could chase the first marked one for practice before you go for the better one.That's a good looking stave, should make a good bow.
I am exactly with Hillbilly on this one....but if you want to go double or nothing this Stave....it's your Gamle....this aint Vegas.....but your rolling the Dice here...Do You Feel Lucky......Do Ya???? >:D
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nope, i have never been a gambler
i have never felt lucky enough to gamble. i like sure things instead. ;)
so i think i will just leave it as is,and maybe the next time i'll try and gamble with it, but i wouldnt bet on it. ;D
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nope, i have never been a gambler
i have never felt lucky enough to gamble. i like sure things instead. ;)
so i think i will just leave it as is,and maybe the next time i'll try and gamble with it, but i wouldnt bet on it. ;D
Now yer Talkin.....If you lived Here...you would do the Same...I can look for Miles....and not see a Tree here...unless I am in Town...but then They frown on you cutting down Neighbors trees!!!
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A bow in the hand is worth two in the firepit. ;D
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o.k. so i've been scraping off and on today as time allowed.
now i'm wondering, when you get down to the darker growth ring, is going to be the yellow layer on the back ( i assume thats it ),or is it going to be the whiter colored layer?
it looks like im to the third ring like wanted,when looking at the end of the stave,but not real sure.
thanks
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The rings you want will be yaller and hard. The early growth between them is lighter colored, softer, spongy (like petrified swiss cheese), and makes a crunchy sound as you scrape it off.
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Like Hillbilly said - the early growth will be lighter and crunchy sounding while your scraping with drawknife. Be sure to turn your drawknife with the tapered edge away from you once you've reached the ring you want. Hold the blade at a ninety degree angle to the wood and scrape off the crunchy stuff (not too deep) and there you have your back.
PatB is absolutely right about concentrating on the stave your working also. I suppose It's permissible to toy with the idea of your next bow, but focus on the one your working - patience is a virtue I've heard ;D.
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ya, i took Patb's advice already and put all other staves out of sight( cause like my wife says,im already out of my mind lol )
hillbilly and cowboy: thank you for your input, i thought the yellower ( if thats a word ) was the right one to stop at. and ya that lighter colored layer was crunchy
and since ive picked up this hobby/addiction ive learned patience,havent learned to build a bow from a stave yet ( only from purchased floor tillered
staves ) but i suppose all good things come to those that wait patiently. so i figure if this works out, not only will i be happy that i made one from a
stave,but the next door neighbors little girl will be happy also 8)
thanks everyone, i will try to keep y'all updated on this sliver of a stave.
peace,
tim
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If it looks like that on both ends and that thickness I would put a small wedge in it about 5 rings down and make 2,I'm the stingy type.Looks good on about all of them to me. :)
Pappy
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PAPPY, it does look like that on both ends and is about the same thickness. however being a newbie i dont want to chance wrecking it.
and thank you for the bow demensions,when i start on the full size stave i will post pics for ya.
tim
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I hear ya Tim,I was looking at the wrong side of the rule anyway,I thought it was 4 inches
not a little over 2. :) I would pick on a couple down and go for it.Nice piece. :)
Pappy
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Tim, you probably know this already...but the darker ring is what you're after to be the back of your bow. When you're nearing the ring you've selected to be the back of your bow, approach it with care. The thinner light color rings are soft and have a honey comb look about them. Your draw knife will want to follow those rings because they're softer and less resistance. If possible, the dark ring you choose as the back should be entirely exposed without digging into it at all. Be careful, take your time and use a scrapper and not your drawknife to do the final cleaning up of the honey comb remnants of the lighter color ring. That selected dark ring when you've cleaned it up and it's ready to draw a bow on should be smooth as silk without any gouches or scratches.
PatB gave you excellant advice before, this stave should easily yield an excellant adult bow. Post pictures of your progress if you can.
Greg
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Hay Tim:
Glad you are having some fun with that splinter. It was in the burn pile at one time. ::) I just could not do it and pulled it out. ;)
You have gotten some good advice here. Use a scraper to clean up the back and don't get in a hurry.
If you can take a photo of the progress you have made on the back. We would love to see it.
David
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I'd personally chase to the upper one Hillbilly marked, because that would put that other good thick ring right around the bow's belly. I feel like its important to have good wood at the belly, maybe more important than the back given the fact that the belly is usually the weak link in a selfbow.
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I was looking at the wrong side of the tape as well and thinking you had a 4" deep stave. That is a one bow stave for sure. I wouldn't try to get two out of your other stave either, you need about 4" thick to piggy back easily.
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Lennie, that's a great point, makes a lot of sense. I'd never really thought about that aspect much before. That's one thing I love about this board, always picking up little useful factoids.
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well, i havent been workingon this all that much,messed up my shoulder again so ive been down for about a week.
i just got back to it last night and decided to go all the way down to that fifth ring( the second one that hillbilly marked ) only cause i messed up and cut thru the third ring lol.
but hey im still learning.
i really like this wood,it feels good,it smeels good and so far it seems to work good also.
now the narrowest part of this little sliver is near the handle area, it is about 5/8 inch wide there, so now i'm thinking that i should go with a bend in the handle style bow and i was thinking to keep that width to the tips also. i do have pics and questions to go with them. however i will need to post them later this evening as the wife wants to go get something to eat now.
so after supper i will post pics for everyones opinion and or entertainment. :D ;)
well back from supper,as promised pics
(http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/6793/1000424vi9.jpg)
(http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/5793/1000427zr2.jpg)
in this one you can see that it has a lateral bend to it
i was wondering whats the best way to try and straighten? i'll worry about twist later if need be.
(http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6177/1000433ml9.jpg)
as you can see ( i hope ) it has some reflex,approx 1 inch
now as i stated earlier, at its narrowest point its 5/8 inch wide.
would it be safe to maintain that width an still have a shootible youth bow. nothing real stout,or a real long draw length.this sliver is 57 inches long and still about 7/8 inch thick.
any input is always welcomed,and appreciated.
tim