Design opinions please

[steve b.]

I want to build a 60 + lbs. bow from this  68" oceanspray.  The limbs are unusually wide and I'd like to take advantage of that, vs. narrowing it all down to one inch.

Also one limb is flat and bumpy, a little wider, and a little longer than the other which is clean and crowned nicely.  I'm debating between making them look alike vs. just leaving them be what they are and tillering for equal?

Since they are wide I'm leaning toward decrowning, backing, and trapping.

I'm also considering that I might have to remove so much thickness in order to get a 60 lbs. bow from such wide OS that it might be better to just make a 70 + lbs. bow in order to take advantage of it all, and either trade it to someone who could handle such a heavy bow or just shoot it occasionally?

Any thoughts?

[steve b.]

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[bow101]

Never seen an "OP" takedown before.       My thoughts would be to make it around 50#.   That is nice wood.   There is tons of OP around here just never got around to harvesting any.  It does take a long time to season. I only have some smaller stuff.

[vinemaplebows]

A holmgaard type of design. Very skinny tips recurved.


VMB

[steelslinger]

I might be inclined to try a hollow limb on those. I think the OS could take it.

[Zion]

You could get some serious weight from those. I recently made a 50" bow drawing 70# at 24" without much set. Also it is smaller than those bad boys. I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to make a 70# or 80# bow. Making tips narrow on OS is a simple thing and i think making a molly would be overkill since you can make them very narrow anyway. Your call tho. 

[Don Case]

Please keep us posted. Maybe a bit of a build-a-long. I collected a few staves of OS about the time you first posted the pictures of the billets back in August. I bandsawed one and removed the bark and pith as per your advise. I weigh it every day or so and it's still losing a gram or two a day. NO CHECKS.
Thanks
Don

[blackhawk]

A holmgaard type of design. Very skinny tips recurved.


VMB

+1

[Badger]

   Ocean spray is a first class wood, it will take a high crown without too much problem. It is also dense and heavy like osage. I would build it where you can shoot the bow and enjoy it but narrow it down as you would osage depending on how dense it is. Several years ago I built a 48" OS bow with a 28" draw. It drew about 55# and was only 1" wide with a high crown. It did eventually break but I was really impressed with the wood. I would not decrown! You have some great bow wood there.

[Onebowonder]

+1 on the hollow limb design option.  I think it would allow you to maintain the higher crown and the width you want to keep.

OneBow

[steve b.]

Good stuff, thanks all.  I'm looking into the holmgaard and hollow limb.  So I would hollow the crowned limb and not the other?

The only reason I was going to decrown was to make the limbs look similar, not because the wood can't handle the crown, with a trapped back to take advantage of the already wide belly.

Can't wait   !

[steve b.]

I took the Holmegaard advice and did some research on lever bows.  I decided to not have the wood working so close to the handle so the working limb is moved out a bit.  Since this is my first I'm starting with 10" levers but don't plan to have any movement even at 12" or so.   I roughed it all out to see what it might look like.  Took a whole pound of wood off.

I welcome any comments but I have one question regarding the crowned limb lever.  I tried to follow the grain as much as possible but cheated on this lever in order to get better string alignment, so its cut slightly off center.   The string is still off center of the handle about 1/2" or less.  The lever itself tips to one side because the grain did, despite my cutting it toward the center. 

So once I find out how narrow to make the levers (~ 1" wide right now) I was contemplating heating and bending the lever toward center, partly because the string would line up and partly because, if I actually curved the lever, it would match the other lever which is naturally curved.?

Any thoughts on dimensions of the levers and whether I laterally curve it?   Thanks.

[vinemaplebows]

Looks good....you could get some serious poundage from that stave if you want. You could bring those levers down further without risking much...just a thought.


VMB

[steve b.]

Ok, VMB, I added an inch to the levers.  Good advice.  I got about an inch of floor tiller.  It needs another month in the dry box before real tillering begins.  Tomorrow I'll recurve that leaning lever, laterally.  I'm having a hard time not decrowning and backing the working parts.  thanks.

[Badly Bent]

Got no advice for ya Steve but I like the looks of what your doing. I'll be watching this one with interest, cool project.