new guy introduction

[half-eye]

Jeff,
      Here is a simple set of drawings. Ottawa Bows were normally made of Ash. They were made anywhere from 36 to 48 inches long. These bows were unbacked, not painted (occassionaly small amount of paint), and they were often times incised carved. Often the bow was made from "split" ash with the grain verticle ( same as they would make a lacross basket or warclub head attachment. When the bows were unstrung they were truely unstrung and used a thin string keeper to hold the loop end of the string. The lower string end was tied on with several various types of knots. They strung, and unstrung their bows by pushing down on the upper limb while inducing a bend with the knee. You will notice that the design does not lend itself to sliding a loop down the limb. So if you want to do that you will need to redesign the limb tips.

     In the drawing limb tip "A" is the one I made for Jay Sam, and "B" is the more common form (these were similiar to the Potowotomi style). The grip area is simply an elongated version of one of the vertabrae. These were left plain, wrapped in cordage, or wrapped with leather (the choice was personal to the owner)

     I indicated the width of the stave as 1&1/2 to 2"....that allows you room to play with the depth of the scallops (if you dont make them real deep then 1 and a half inches is plenty) On the profile view the belly is a straight taper from the centerline to the tips. The dimensions given will give a draw weight that will hardly bend under you body weight so again there is plenty to "play" with. Also please note that the plan view (back of the bow) has NO taper from handel to tips.

     The simplest way to go about this thing is to tiller in the bow first. Leave it at least 10# heavy (or target draw weight at 4" less draw length) then cut in your vertabrae and seperators. According to Jay Sam The number and size of these were determined by "eye" and was not any specific number of "back-bones". After you have the spine looking good finish tiller to draw weight and final dress the belly scallops.

[half-eye]

noticed that the drawing did not come through so here it is
half eye

[attachment deleted by admin]

[ken75]

I'm truly impressed with your toys, glad you will be here for my next bow . welcome from one new guy to another !!, i love the elm bow in the first pics , that thing is really coming back ,the other bows are equally amazing also , thanks for all the great pics and info !!

[Parnell]

Half-Eye,

I made a hickory bow fairly close to the dimensions of that Ottowa and gave it a 'Choctaw" pattern according to TBB2.   Also, I did a Potowatomi scalloped, but modified the dimensions, and paint. 

If you do a search for my 'handle", (last name),i n bows,  you'll find the posts. 

I'm thinking, that Choctaw drawing that I did - the bow shot great.  I gave it away to my real good friend.  He just shot it this past week after having it for 4 months.  Do you find any advantage to the scalloped edges, other than medicine and backbone?

The Potowatomi bow is actually my most acurate shooter, for me.

How long are your arrows for that bow?  What are they made from?  Do you do other work - arrows, knapping and stuff?

Don't mean to rush you.

Parnell

[drfishon]

Hi,
Just joined--sort of got a half eye myself.  Enjoy building bent sticks and arrows.  Still working on my aim.   looking forward to the learning curve.  Have a great day!

[NTD]

Welcome aboard Half-eye.  Excellent work, I look forward to your future projects.

Nate

[DanaM]

Great looking bows half-eye, first time I've heard that scallops were meant to depict a backbone, never could figure out why they would do that.

Christmas is coming maybe Santa will bring ya some new swampers and a Da Yoopers CD eh

[PeteC]

Welcome ,and you can bet we'll all be lookin' forward to seeing more examples of your work. God Bless

[El Destructo]

TBOD,
      I make my bow staves by splitting out a piece thats like the Vikings did to make ship hull planks. It's like a horitzontal grain stave except I make the bow with verticle grain to the back and belly. If that's what you mean by a board bow then you would be correct. Since the right hand is now all screws and plates, a friend fully quarter-saws my sticks for me. Hope that answers your question. Oh, I use the same wood for my arrow shafts because the grain runs exactly true to the shaft and makes carving them out easier for me.
half eye

Half-Eye....You may be a Troll ....but with an Ottawa Bow like Dat....I will Personally get you a Yooper Membership Card...ey!!

As for the Vertical Grain....whenever I make Paddlebows or Pottawatomie or Ottawa Bows I do the same as You with the Grain running from Back to Belly....nice Bows by the way....I am almost Jealous!!!

[dragonman]

Hello Half eye, nice to meet you, and all the best.  I like your ash bows, there is a lota ash growin round here too, but white ash!!! might give it another go!!

[half-eye]

Thanks, one and all (except fer dat dana) First I'd like to extend my apologies to George T, you asked a question and I didn't answer and that my friend is just plain rude.....You are getting yer leg pulled, eh! Dat dana youpper is going back to wild, heck round here we know fer a fact dat dey gots anti-aircraft set up fer Santa dats why there swampers gots thin soles on 'em.
     Parnell all my arrows are the same for all my bows, i.e. 29" bare shafts (self knocks and hafted heads come out shorter than glue on knocks and heads) I usually draw the same (realitively) all the time, but will "short stroke" occassionally if the bow stacks more than I can pull. Yest I make my own quivers, arrow shafts etc. but I dont knap stone or such.      DRFishon because I'm eye imparied and cross-eye dominent I took up shooting like this.....I bend slightly at the waist, with an "open" stance to the target, and as I bush my bowhand toward the target I draw the string to a floating anchor point (this is without thought and I draw to what's comfortable) I have found that this method allows you to use your right brain, you dont get messed up with that whole aiming point thing, and your on-board computer will put those arrows right where you want them. Actusally, when I shoot I can only see the target spot....then the arrow just appears when it hits....if you see anything else (don't sneek a peek at the arrow) then your left brain is going to chime in with "is yer anchor right", are you steady enough< etc. etc. That is how I shoot....works great for me at the 20 yards I limit myself to.
      El Destructo and Dragon Man, Our hardwoods here in the northern lower have really close grain (slow growth) because of the harsh winters ( we average 200+ inches of snow a year ) same goes for the elm, black ash, walnut, white ash, grey elm, ironwood (hornbeam) etc. etc. You get into that tight verticle grain and it's like a nearly perfect bow stave.....I really like it myself.
      Hope I didn't forget anyone and thanks again for the kind words, this old hillbilly is about beet-red.
half eye

[El Destructo]

You don't have to tell Me about 200+ inches of Snow....I grew up on the Shore of Lake Superior....in Marquette County, Da Heart of Yooperdom....you ain't seen Snow....till You see the Big Girls Lake Effect Snows........

[DanaM]

As bad as the hunting has been this year Santa would do well to get some bullet proof vests for the reindeer as my freezer is still empty
Just so ya know I'm a southern yooper here in Manistique which lies right in da banana belt, we don't get much lake effect snow. Was in Marquette yesterday Mike they have maybe 2" of snow, at least its finally cold out and the deer are starting to move with week of muzzleloading left and if stays this cold should be able to go ice fishin next weekend

Half-eye if ya ever find yerself traveling East on US-2 going through Manistique get ahold of me eh, we could have coffee and shoot the bull

[half-eye]

dana,
      Proud to my friend, by the way I got a nephew stationed at the MSP post there. I live in Mancelona (Antrim County) and our weather runs exactly the same as Newberry, i.e. Lake effect up to a tall indian's butt. I hear ya on those deer not moving much...just starting to now....but I have till Jan 1 to bend that bow on one of 'em. Get some meat in that freezer.
half eye

[DanaM]

Who's yer nephew at the post? Never know when I might need to drop a name to get out of a ticket I live right behind the post.
Just came in from the blind, saw two squierrels and a partridge should have brought the 22 I do hear wolves howwl every night
but according to da expurts their not the problem