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Help with my first bow
bluegill:
I'm making a selfbow out of osage and the pieces I have have a natural curve in them. Should I construct the bow so that I will pull against the curve, or should I make the bow so I pull with the curve? Is there an easy way to straighten out the wood? It is drying right now and I havent started carving into it much.
This is my first ever attempt at making a bow and i'm not expecting anything fancy, just trying to get all the help I can get.
Pat B:
Can you show us a pic of your stave. Normally you would want the curve going away from the shooter before strung but that would depend on the stave you have. The wood can be straightened with heat, either steam, boiling or dry heat, a form and a few clamps. Pat
Justin Snyder:
The part of the bow closest to you when shooting is the belly. The part away from you is the back. You want the part of the tree that was closest to the outside, to be the back, and the part closest to the middle of the tree to be the belly. Hopefully the curve will go away from you. But it is not as important as the growth ring orientation.
I strongly suggest you take some time to read George's page before you get to carried away. http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html This is Georges site.
Justin
GregB:
How long has the tree been cut? Are you sure the stave is well seasoned (dry)?
NOMADIC PIRATE:
Suggestion:
before you start on a stave with any kind of curves for your first bow, I would go by a couple of 2X1"s of RED OAK and tiller them,get yourself aqquinted with your tools and the tillering process, all the readyng and tips in the world can substitute for the hands down work, it's a very visual and feel thing ;)
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