Big thanks to the site/ ppl

[Aelerik]

Just wanted to mention a special thanks out to the site and the members. I encourage anyone who lives near another bowyer to go out and meet with em. It's not only fun to go out and meet other people but to be able to have an intelligent conversation about bows instead of getting dumbfounded looks and responses from ur friends who have no idea what ur talking about. Also wanted to thank Gus for havin me over this weekend and teaching me the basics and givin me a free Osage stave along with a quick lesson on starting it. Being a highschool student in the middle of a city like houston its hard finding places to split wood so opportunities like this are rare. Point is get out and meet with the other guys and girls on the sight and start sharin. As for Gus, tomorrow the ring chasin begins and ill have that bow (if its finishes seasoning in this 110 degree weather by then) ready in a month.
Thanks,
Aelerik

[gstoneberg]

Hey Aelerik, glad you and Gus got to meet up.  It wasn't that long ago that Gus drove up here and worked like a dog cutting that osage.  Does my heart good to see him passing it along to you.  I keep threatening to come down to the coast to do a little fishing.  Maybe I'll get to meet you then.  Hope your bow turns out great.

George

[PEARL DRUMS]

I would give my left arm to pass on what I know and get somebody else going. I cant pay anybody to hang out with me in the shop...................hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Maybe that should tell me sumpin'?

[Pat B]

Aelerik, that's what this is all about...Passing on our craft to anyone that is interested.  Knowing that you, a highschool student, feels so strongly about our addiction lets me know that it is still alive and well, not only with us seasoned guys but a new generation that will be there when we are gone. 
  If you have the time, why not start posting pics of your progerss as you turn that piece of osage into a bow. It could be a real help to the guys that are just starting out or just thinking how cool it would be to be able to build their own bow with their own hands.
  Looking forward to seeing your progress. 

[Aelerik]

thanks pat ill keep that in mind....took pictures this mornin but their over the limit on data so im having trouble postin em but ill see what i can do. But if anyone is curious i just finished sawing the stave down to 2 inch thickness now i just need to chase the ring im lookin at and shave the stave into an acctual bow. Im curious how to get my hands on some sinew cus id like to back the bow with it, but other that its all goin well and ill try to have the entire process (build along) made into a post.

[Aelerik]

Hey Aelerik, glad you and Gus got to meet up.  It wasn't that long ago that Gus drove up here and worked like a dog cutting that osage.  Does my heart good to see him passing it along to you.  I keep threatening to come down to the coast to do a little fishing.  Maybe I'll get to meet you then.  Hope your bow turns out great.

George

Yeah man I look forward to it, I acctualy have some family up around Fort Worth so if I do head up there maybe we can meet up sometime and split some Osage or w/e else yall got up there.
Andrew

[blackhawk]

If that's the wood they cut just back in july and its still two inches thick then that piece of wood is no where near being seasoned even if it is 110 degrees. If you chase a ring and reduce it to near bow dimensions and let it sit in that kind of heat then you need to seal the whole stave with shellac and shellac only,back,belly and sides,the whole thing. That baby will check all over if you don't. And id wait waaaay longer than a month to work on it. My general rule is to not touch Osage until a year MINIMUM after cutting it. And the longer the better. I know this is not what you want to hear ,but your bow will be better if you work on something that's seasoned now and come back to bending that piece of wood next summer.

Also I wouldn't worry about sinew backing yet. If that stave has nice rings then there's no need for you to back it. Right now you need to focus on making wood bend evenly and properly distribute the working load in the limbs.

[Gus]

Yes Sir,

I've had the chance to meet a few of the folks associated with PA and been very pleased with the quality of people so far.

I look forward to meeting more good people as chance allows.

As to the stave in question, Blackhawk is correct about seasoning the wood.
On sunday the Moisture meter had that stave at 11%.

Aelerik, the dimensions that I sent you were for a finished bow. If you are bent on working on the stave, as you seem to be...   I would recommend just roughing it out bigger than the dimensions of a finished bow, Leave it fat and long. Then Seal the HECK out of the whole "bow to be" and bring it inside the house. It will season faster in the AC than it will left out in this Houston humidity.

I know it can be difficult, but remember one of the things I was telling ya... "Slow Down"...

Just a little...   

-gus

[gstoneberg]

Yeah man I look forward to it, I acctualy have some family up around Fort Worth so if I do head up there maybe we can meet up sometime and split some Osage or w/e else yall got up there.
Andrew

I'm way over on the east side of Dallas so it'll be out of your way.  But, if you swing by my house I'll send you home with a stave you can for sure work on right now.  It'll be crooked and likely have some checks but I'm sure it'll make a bow.  Heck, if you're in a hurry just road trip on up here.

George

[Blacktail]

i will agree about the site...this how i meet 3 GREAT bowyers in oregon DAVE,GORDON,KEENAN.....all 3 have differant styles and woods that they love...and i could call them out any time for help...its good to hear you got a great start and now you will be looking for bow wood every where even peoples front yards...LOL....john

[MWirwicki]

Welcome to the addiction, Aelerik!  Glad to have you. 

[Aelerik]

Well dam...i sealed it but as an impatient adolescent im about ready to take the drawknife to that stave and get it goin >.<
Ill wait but man im ready to get it goin haha.
As for the roadtrip I have a grandmother in ducanville, though im not familiar with the area, if thats any closer to east dallas gstone. School and work arent very merciful when it comes to roadtrips but ill be up there eventually and let you know when i do show up.

[gstoneberg]

I would give my left arm to pass on what I know and get somebody else going. I cant pay anybody to hang out with me in the shop...................hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Maybe that should tell me sumpin'?

Well PD, I've made the offer to hundreds of folks and only a handful have come.  Our society is too busy these days.  It takes somebody that's really serious to make the committment and follow through with it.  99% of the time I'm alone in the shop.  Keep trying, it's sure rewarding when it works.

Well dam...i sealed it but as an impatient adolescent im about ready to take the drawknife to that stave and get it goin >.<
Ill wait but man im ready to get it goin haha.
As for the roadtrip I have a grandmother in ducanville, though im not familiar with the area, if thats any closer to east dallas gstone. School and work arent very merciful when it comes to roadtrips but ill be up there eventually and let you know when i do show up.

Duncanville is on the far southwest side of Dallas.  St Paul, where I live, is on the far northeast side of Dallas.  If you get up to Duncanville (or Ft Worth), I will somehow get a stave to you.

You can build a bow out of osage that's only seasoned 3 months, but it takes longer and might have some set.  If you can wait until next summer, it'll make a better bow.  Your wood, your call.  I can tell you how to do it.  A better approach might be to build a few board bows while you're waiting.  I would just send you a stave to work on, but as deer season approaches I have to stop preparing wood for people so I can get ready to hunt.  Anyway, Jawge's site describes board bow construction, http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/  Check it out if you haven't already.

George