Osage w/ natural r/d profile- HOLEy hole

[upstatenybowyer]

You guys are hilarious. I swear, I'll post each step of the journey. 

[DC]

With a time stamp like a chess match? OK, I'll stop

[bubby]

I agree with Patb even out the limbs, its osage you can prolly do it with a heat gun

[upstatenybowyer]

I do plan on doing the evening with a heat gun. 

Got home today after work and finished up chasing the target ring, leaving a highly crowned back. It's not a perfect job, as this snake put up one heck of a fight. I think this will call for a line of sinew along the top of the crown that will hopefully assist the bow in keeping it's profile in the end as well.

Next step will be to mark out the front profile by drawing a centerline along the grain and measuring out the width along the stave. It's 66" long. It's gonna bend in the handle. I'm thinking of 1.5" wide running parallel out to 7 or 8 inches from the tip, then tapering to 3/8".

When I was chasing the snake, I left rings on the sides as this wood will be removed when I cut out the front profile. Here's a pic

P.S. Very funny DC

[upstatenybowyer]

Okay the bow's finished! Just kidding  But seriously, here's the progress...

Roughed out the width to about 1.5" parallel throughout with ends tapering to a little over .5" (will taper more later on). Brought the thickness to .75" everywhere with the hope that it would be thin enough to use dry heat to balance out the stave, but thick enough to begin the tillering process. By the way, I'm shooting for around 60# at 27" but will be happy with anything over 50#.

I currently have it on the caul with most of the deflex heated in. From here, I'll carefully add the balanced reflex to both mid to outer limbs. Here's some pics and please pardon my appearance... 

[upstatenybowyer]

two more

[upstatenybowyer]

Finished the balancing. As you can see I chose not to give it as much deflex as I could have. Since it was already bending that way naturally, I thought I'd better leave that section alone. Couldn't get that kink on the left side out completely, but I think I evened it out enough.

[DC]

Might be a bear to get the string alignment good but it definitely looks better

[upstatenybowyer]

Well guys, it's not looking good. As I was doing a little cleaning out of one of the holes on the back, a huge cavity began to appear. I shined a light inside and omg  the entire middle of the stave had been eaten away (bear in mind that this stave had been sitting on the ground exposed to the elements for lord knows how long). The section is literally hollow. I tried taking a pic, but could not get a shot that captured the enormity of it. One bend on the tillering tree and I'm sure it will... well... you know... explode. 

Sorry this "build-along" ended in such an anti-climactic manner, but at least I tried. Next time I'll do one with a little more predictable piece of wood.

[BowEd]

Damn...She looked good up until then.Lucky it's spotted before you put too much time into it.That lateral bend on the one limb would'nt have been much trouble to straighten either.Your parallel width I would of just carried that to midlimb is all.Then tapered width wise from there to the tip.Good idea of a shallower deflex on her though.
I always like seeing these staves with a humped up knot at the handle area graduating nice both ways for a deflexed handle.Another will show up.

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks Bead. I'm definitely not too bummed. You're right, there'll be another. 

[BowEd]

Ohh hey nice caul form by the way.For laminated bows and rubber bands?? and now self bows to.

[upstatenybowyer]

Yeah, I can't remember who gave me that idea. George maybe? Anyway, I drew the form off of an FG recurve a buddy made me for my wedding many moons ago. Still have yet to make a lam bow though.

[MulchMaker]

That's a shame upstate, but it was a nice try..

[osage outlaw]

Can you post a picture of the damage?  You had just about tamed that kinky stave.  You gained some more experience and knowledge from it if nothing else.