osage reflex/deflex character

[H Rhodes]

I found this bow to be a real challenge for me.  The tiller looks sort of wonky, but the bow shoots great.  It had a natural whoopty-do and snake at the fade in the upper limb, so I made the arrow pass at that spot.  It is an inch wide at the fades and tapers to a little less that 3/8" where the mahogany tips begin.  The lower limb had another rollercoaster in it which gave the bow some deflex from the middle of the handle out to mid limb.  I dry heated some reflex in the outer limbs with the heat gun, and I know it may look odd,but  I believe the limbs are working pretty good.  The top limb is an inch shorter than the snaky wonky bottom limb, but it resulted in a straight shooting, sweet on release, almost center shot 45lbs @ 26" bow.  It is sixty inches nock to nock.   I had a severe wind check that got into a big knot and I was worried enough about to wrap with some green B-50 and super glue.  I put a similar wrap on the other limb just for a little cosmetic balance.  This bow came from a dead osage tree that had been laying in the pasture about 20 years.  I don't know what made me think there was a bow in there, but I am glad I stayed with this one.  It is one of the most accurate bows that I have made so far.   

[H Rhodes]

and a few more pics....

[H Rhodes]

and another..

[H Rhodes]

and still more.... 

[H Rhodes]

one more unbraced.

[osage outlaw]

I bet that was a nightmare to tiller.  Great job taming that beast.

[H Rhodes]

It was the toughest one I have tackled yet.  Those roller coaster back to belly dips give me fits.   I had to just look at it through blurry eyes and make sure the tips were bending to the same spot on the wall without a focus on those hingy looking whoopty dos..does that make any sense at all?    Thanks OO.

[rps3]

That is one wacky but cool looking looking bow,  if it shoots great and holds it shape what more can you ask for. Way to go on a tough one.

[Bogaman]

I love the character bows. They can be hard to tiller. Looks like you did a good job on that one.
I think I'd call that one Lazarus;^)>

[Badly Bent]

 Somewhere during the time spent working this bow you had to ask yourself what kind of a sane person would attempt a bow from a stave like this.   Looks like you pulled it off nicely Howard. At first glance of the full draw
it don't look right, then when you see the braced and unbraced profiles it all makes sense. Well done.

[half eye]

what a bow....ya got to love them short deer bows. As for the "minor" tillering issues, ya know ya like the abuse,eh? or else ya would not have the career you do
rich

[H Rhodes]

Thanks rps3, Steve, Greg, and Rich.  It is some form of self-abuse to just see what you can make a bow out of...  Osage is an evil temptress.

[burchett.donald]

Howard,
            That is what I call character!!! I kept going back an forth looking at the unstrung profile against full draw and you do have everything moving nicely. Nice job on whipping that piece of wood into a bending accurate killer, PA all day bud...
                                                                      Don

[Ken S]

Nice job on that one!

[H Rhodes]

Thanks so much Don.  The handle and arrow pass disguise what is really going on with that upper limb.  The real mid point of the bow is low of center in the handle, which makes it look goofy, but it just worked out that way.  The deflex right out of the handle was more pronounced than the photos depict which makes the upper limb appear to be bending much more than it really is.  The placement of the snakey little dip made the bow almost center shot and very accurate.

Thanks Ken S!