Fence Post bow project...Resurrected!!

[crooketarrow]

  If the post was debarked and something aplayed to it so it wonuld'nt rot who know how long it could last. Or if it's planted with the bark on (most were) so it did'nt check I know for a fact it will last over 100 years.
  Thats the way the corner post I used was planted. I had a friend I huntered on his farm in KS.  He said his granddad had planted it 105 years before. The post was big ,probley 16 inchs. He pulled it out for me with the promass I build him a bow. Which I did he killed a 142 ,10 point with it before his death.
  Split like butter all well seasoned OSAGE dose. I got 6 staves from it. It was really dark all the way through. One did'nt make a bow all the rest were straight knot free. Sweet staves all the 5 bows were sweet also.
  Wish I 'd kept one but you know how it go's with bows sold ,traded even gave one away.
  If you do your part I'm sure it will make a really sweet shooting bow. GOOD LUCK

[k-hat]

Finally got'r ready for tiller and here is the first look, not bad!




Bottom pic is at 15" at about 35#.  The second pic the tips got cut off in editing, but they were nicely lined up there. 

Right limb looks stiff midlimb, left looks like it may be there as well.  she's reflexed in the handle splice, does it look to y'all like the handle is straightened out a bit in the third pic?  Maybe just my eyes playin tricks. 

I'm slow, so i'll hafta stare at it awhile before i get to scrapin, but now i gotta go get ready for work   I'll revisit in the morning.

Any input is welcome

[mullet]

This is going to be a cool bow. With the wood that old I bet you end up taking a lot off to make it a shooter. I can't wait to see it finished.

[randman]

Looking real sweet! Time to get her braced with a short string.

[k-hat]

Thanks mullet, me too.  I don't know about a lot,  I'm tryna make 55+ pounds.  She may be too narrow for it, but we'll see.

Rand, low brace is what i was thinking too after staring at it several times.   Crazy thing is i haven't done anything besides floor tiller and put the string on!  Probly never have that happen again

[Will H]

It's lookin good! Can't wait for this one! It looks so much like mine is crazy it's gonna be a great bow for ya! I can feel it

[k-hat]

Ya know Will, i kinda thought that too!  Maybe they're distant cousin staves 

[egstonvonbrick]

K-Hat,

I love threads like this and from your very first picture to the last - that is taking on a very pleasing shape (especailly seeing from whence she came!)

Good luck and am looking forward to seeing the finished article.

Cheers
Ev

[k-hat]

Thanks Ev, i'm lookin forward to the finish too . . . just a little

I did run into a little problem.  I fine tuned the limbs a little this morning and was tryna put her on a low brace.  When i put my stringer on and pulled up on the handle, i noticed I could feel the handle bending in my hand .  For the riser I used a piece of the original post that had some "bark" on the outside cuz i thought it would look cool, but it looks like the underlying wood just isn't stiff enough even though it looks plenty healthy.  Sooooo, gonna remove that one and glue on a beefier riser and some overlays on the side to build up and stiffen the handle. 

Well, with the time i have available it'll probly be next weekend before i get'r on the tiller block again.   

[Knapper]

Makes me want to start walking old fence rows!!!!!

[k-hat]

finally got'r re-risered and very low braced:




done some tweaking.  She's now at 35#@18".  Shootin for 55-60@29 to settle in at 50-55#.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Not too shabby thus far Kevin!

[Gus]

Yes Sir!

Starting to look like a bow...
Is that a hinge trying to develop mid limb on the left side?
Or is that a feature?

-gus

[k-hat]

There's a kink right there.  It had me worried at first as well.  I left it thicker and i think it's fine, but i'll look'r over a little more before i go forward.  Haven't stared at it much yet

[k-hat]

Thanks Chris and Gus. I'm kinda liking the profile too! 

It looks like i'll have to do a little heat correcting after all to get the string aligned, it's running just outside of the handle.  I see a couple of stiff spots just outside of the knot on the left and same distance out on the other limb that i want to loosen up some before I bend it anymore.