What can I make out of this?

[hoppy]

Hi,
So we have an osage tree in our backyard.  I cut this branch back in February.  I split it and it sat in my shop until now.  I split one half again and made a little bow for my son. 

I just wanted to get your opinions on what I could make for myself out of this. 

The branch is 3" at the widest and 2 3/4" at the narrow end.  It's 70" long. 

I'd love an osage hunting selfbow.  Here in PA it's a 40 lbs minimum. I'd like something kind of short and high 40's for weight.  I draw 28"

Thanks!

[simson]

Is this really osage? From the color it looks more like black locust - but possible .

You can make out a 100#bow out of this, just a little work to bring that zthing in line, a good steamer is what you need.

Looking on the sabre you have here, I think the split is the wrong direction. If I have something like this, I go for a reflex and a deflex stave.

 

[hoppy]

It is definitely osage, it is currently dropping the osage apples/green brains. 

I do have an 8' steambox, so I could steam the whole thing at once.  Is that what you're suggesting? Would you do it at this stage or after it's roughed out a bit.  My son's bow had twist and curve and I got it straightened out with dry heat, but I could see how this might need steam. 

I looked up your no. 100 reflex/deflex  it's beautiful. 

What direction should the split have been?  90 degrees off of this? or should I have worked the other split?
Thanks

[bjrogg]

Hoppy there is for sure enough wood there for a good hunting bow. I was thinking just what Simson said. It's got a bunch of sideways curve to get out and a few knots to deal with but I'd have to give it a try. I may be a brute for punishment though. You sound like your up to the challenge to me.
Like Simson said I would have tried to split it a quarter Turn or 90 degrees so I had a reflex stave and a deflex stave. Maybe it wasn't possible and at any rate it's to late now. Now I'd chase my ring, seal the back and ends good and rough it out to a heavy floor tiller. I don't have a steam box but that might be the way to go if you have enough hands and clamps to wrestle that piece on a caul. I usually have to use dry heat and slowly work my way down the caul straightening and heat treating as I go. I'm just amazed how much a person can manipulate this Osage.
Good Luck and I'm sure you'll learn lots from that piece of wood. When you get a bow from it don't forget to show us the picture of where it came from.
Bjrogg

[George Tsoukalas]

Hoppy, my first thought was ... firewood. Sorry. Jawge

[simson]

Like brjogg said, 90° off of this - this would be the right split direction.

Now you have a bit more work to do, but that's it.
Chase the thick nice ring, about the forth from outside. Bring that stave to near dimensions, have in mind what design you're looking for. If it would up to me, this would be a good candidate for HLD. If you're a beginner, go with absolute flat belly.

You can show your work here and there are a lot of guys helping you.

The stave is long and you could also make an ELB, but that is not what I would like as a hunting bow.

Be sure the stave is seasoned enough before you bend that stick!

GOOD LUCK!

[simson]

Hoppy, my first thought was ... firewood. Sorry. Jawge

Buh, Jawge - you have the luxury 
 having osage around you. I dunno, so I wouldn't waste any osage, i never have thrown a stick of sage away.

[bjrogg]

Hoppy, my first thought was ... firewood. Sorry. Jawge

Hoppy I'm sure that's a lot of people's first thought. It might be what it ends up to. Guess it just depends on how much you want to invest in it. Like I said I might be a brute for punishment.
Bjrogg
 
Wow kinda scary or cool which ever way I look at it but I'm thinking exactly like Simson on this one. If it was mine I'd have to try HLD but it'd be my first and even as many bows as Ive made I'd probably be a bit intimidated by it.
 
I personally hope you get a hunter out of that one

[George Tsoukalas]

Lol.  No Osage here in NH but I do have plenty thanks to fine friends.
I can understand the desire to work character wood.  Been there.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I'd cut in half. Then use a steam tube to correct each half, then splice them back together while cheating the splice a bit to help me line it up.  It much easier to wrestle a few 36" pieces than a full stave.

[PaSteve]

Hoppy good luck with your build. PAs minimum is 35# draw weight for deer.

[hoppy]

Guys,
Thanks for all of the input.   It quite possibly could end up firewood!  Not sure if I'll have the patience to get through it. 

The stave actually curves in two directions so a lot to overcome.  I may use it to practice chasing a ring.  I was planning to get to the thick ring that was mentioned.  I would like a simple r/d bow I think.  I don't know if I want to try a hollow limb bow (since I had to look up what it was...)

35# for PA, thanks for the correction.  I've read the digest, but apparently remembered that wrong. 

Well, if I van get any progress with it I will definitely get pictures and put them up.

Thanks again!

[osage outlaw]

I gave a stave similar to that to Ozzy as a practice piece of wood before he started on his first selfbow.  It had about that same amount of sideways bend as yours.  I ended up helping him with it at a small gathering a while later.  He used a heat gun, a form, and a bunch of clamps to get it lined up.  It only took one try.  He made a hunting bow out of it and used it to kill his first primitive deer that season.   Here is a link to his bow kill.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,43030.0.html

[bjrogg]

That is so cool Clint. That's what I'm talking about.
Bjrogg

[Morgan]

I’ve seen staves more wonkey than that one overcame right here on this forum. I have no doubt that it is possible to get that dude in shape. I think pearl has some solid advice in cutting it in half and splicing it. Like he said, it’d be a lot less wood to wrestle when you have to quickly form it out of the steam. Good luck!