Hickory backed lemonwood ALB build along...now boo backed...now w/ osage belly

[ty_in_ND]

Looking good so far! Out of curiosity, what are the lengths of your fades and grip area? Also, is the center of your handle lined up with the center of the bow or is it offset? Trying to take notes. 

[Pat B]

4" handle centered length and width with 4" fades. Limbs are 1 1/2" at the fades and out 12" then tapering to about 3/4" tips for now. finished tips will be 3/8". This bow will have a somewhat bulbous handle with no cut in shelf. I may add a leather shelf but I won't decide that until I'm almost done.
 The tips and handle will probably remain as they are until first low brace. If I have an alignment problem I can correct that by removing from one side or the other of the handle and/or tips.

[ohma2]

good lookin knives there Pat.and yes this cold is brutal.

[bjrogg]

Thanks for the picture of the knives Pat. Those are beautiful and very nicely displayed. I'm just a bit curious if I understand right. Are both of your fades 4"s or the two fades put together add up to 4"s?
Bjrogg

[Pat B]

Fades are 4" each.

[Pappy]

Looking good so far Pat, love you knife collection also.
 Pappy

[Pat B]

I did a little more today. I drew a line along the limbs on both sides at 5/8" from the back including the 1/8" backing strip. Today I cut along the line at about a 45deg angle on both sides of both limbs to remove some of the excess wood...






...and cut the fades...


With just this little bit of wood removal I can see some bending when floor tillering. It's too damned cold in my shop(34deg) to work down there so once this cold snap breaks I'll start pre-tillering the belly so it has a smooth even bend then it will be time for the glue up.

[upstatenybowyer]

Still lookin good Pat. This is probably a dumb question, but is lemonwood the tree that grows lemons? 

[PatM]

No. Lemonwood is named for its color.
 

[Pat B]

Another name is degame. It's a tropical hardwood primarily from Cuba but also parts of Central America.

[upstatenybowyer]

I figured, but I just had to ask cause how cool would that be if the tree that gives us lemonade also gave us great bows! 

[dylanholderman]

hey its a fruit wood if you find a piece give it a shot 

[Pat B]

I think Mullet and maybe some of the other Fla guys has made bows from sour orange he finds growing wild in Fla.

[Pat B]

I did a little more today. I started working the belly down with a rasp. After the rasp I always clean up the tool marks and slightly round the sharp edges with a scraper to prevent getting a splinter. I found out that lemonwood splinters fester pretty quickly...


...I worked to the line I drew earlier. It was about 5/8" from the back including the backing strip(not yet attached).  I marked a spot that was a little thinner after sawing off the edges, marked with the "X"s...


...and after checking for a bend I found a spot that was a bit stiff, marked with an oval over the area...


I then marked along the side another mark about 1/8" less that the previous line...


...this will be my next line to remove wood to. I'm making a crowned belly for now but will flatten it out later. Lemonwood is known for fretting so I want the belly pretty flat to even out the stresses. A crowned belly would concentrate the stresses down the crown.
When I draw these lines along the side of the limb I go from tip to tip so I'm assured the both limbs on both sides are similar in thickness.

[Chief RID]

I'm lost but having the time of my life. I love your boat trailer shaving horse.