Take down,more like follow along

[Pappy]

I had never built a take down,never really seen the need or just hated to cut a perfectly
good bow in half to do it.If I broke a bow I would just cook brats with the other half.
Well over the last year I had a couple of Osage bow blow.1 the top limb and the other the
bottom.They were both sweet shooting well tillered bows out of 6 year old Osage with good
growth rings.Don't get me wrong I have broken plenty of bow but both of these supprized me.After looking them over good I decided one blew where I violated the longitudinal grown ring,it was pretty snaky at the point it blew.The other had a pin knot right in the middle of the limb and had some
rotten wood under the back a couple of grains down that I didn't see from the back,belly or sides.
The other half of each bow looked prefect so I decided to give it a 2nd chance.I thought about it for a while and finely settled on a sleeve system ,not being a mechanist I ordered the system from Three rivers.When it got there I looked it over and since they sent no instructions I just went a head on my own.The first challenge was the Osage was 2 completely different colors,one High yellow and the other dark witch is the way Osage is sometimes.I cut the broken limbs off and here we go.  Maybe this will help someone else that has thought about this to give it a try.It really wasn't to bad.
     Pappy

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[Pappy]

First I got the cut to the length I wanted and marked the sleeve  on the ends,then
rounded them down to fit the sleeve.I left them just a little loose so I could line the up when I put it togeather.Once that was done I mixed 2 part epoxy and glued on the first brass sleeve then the 2nd.The steel sleeve glues to the top limb brass.I had everything ready and put the glue on the top brass,slipped the sleeve on the bottom limb and slid it togeather,this will give you a chance to make sure the top and bottom limb lines up.Just hold it where you want it till the glue sets.Once it was togeather and set up I went forward.I wanted to flip the tips so I went a head and trimmed the limb
profile so both limbs matched in the tapper and then started to floor tiller and get it to brace then
on out to about 10 inches.I like to do that first before I turn the tips,it makes them much easier to
get to brace if you do the tips later in the tiller process.
   Pappy

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[Pappy]

I then put on the raw hide before going on with the tillering,I also installed the tip overlays.
On the raw hide I just cut it to fit,soak it till it is soft and put it on with TB3 then rap wit an ace bandage.I had already flipped the tips so I wouldn't have to heat after the rawhide. 
    Pappy

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[Pappy]

After the raw hide was done and the tips finished I went on with the tiller.
    Pappy

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[Pappy]

After the skins and the tiller was finished I had the challenge of the color.I put about 4 coats of Mahogany stain on the light limb and one quick coat on the dark limb and alt ho you can tell a
little deferents most people won't even notice.Then I put on a grip and 6 coats of tru oil and 2 or 3 more of satin Polly. 
   Pappy

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[Pappy]

Then all that was left was to shoot and enjoy.The whole process took a couple of months
just working on it a little at a time,but now that it is finished Im glad I didn't cook brats with
them. hope you enjoy.
   Pappy

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[GregB]

That one really turned out nice, and would really work out well for traveling, backpacking, etc. Good shooter as well, I've seen it in action.

[TRACY]

Great post Pappy! Looks like you took a couple of negatives and turned them into an awesome snakeskin positive. Really like the fact that you included lots of pics, helps out the visual learners like myself.

Thanks Tracy

[radius]

Good stuff!

How thick are the limbs?  How wide?  How long?  And what poundage?  I am working on some osage right now, 1.5 inches wide, and I wonder what I can get out of them ... they're 62 inches long... thanks

[Pappy]

These are about 1 1/2 wide to mid limb the tappered to 3/8 at the tips and is 62 n-n
63 1/2 tip to tip and 53@26. Thanks Tracy/Greg.I like it a lot,may have to keep this one. 
    Pappy

[Justin Snyder]

Good stuff!

How thick are the limbs?  How wide?  How long?  And what poundage?  I am working on some osage right now, 1.5 inches wide, and I wonder what I can get out of them ... they're 62 inches long... thanks

Whatever you want.  You could get 80# if you want.
 
Pappy, she is a beauty and a great "follow" along.  You must use it to harvest a deer this fall at least.  Maybe you could put it in your suitcase and fly out to hunt mule deer or elk this fall.  Justin

[Pappy]

Now that sounds like a plan justin. You wouldn't happen to know where a man could
fine so,do you. 
    Pappy

[GregB]

Pappy, looks like you'll just have to keep huntin' whitetails! After shootin' your takedown, I'm sure you'll put more venison in the freezer in support of our "Good Life" while using it this fall!

[Pappy]

Ya I guess justin don't know of anywhere.
    Pappy

[Slivershooter]

 Pappy,
That's a good looking bow.  I made my first couple of takedowns using discarded bows too.  The method I use to get matching colors on "mixed" bows is to rub each limb with a rag soaked in industrial strength ammonia; it turns the Osage to a deep brown.  This makes the finished bows look like it is five to ten years old, depending on how long you leave the ammonia on the wood before using water it take it off.