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another osage war bow attempt

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sleek:
And boy did I mess it up. 73" stave of osage with grain so fine that it looks like yew. I split the belly off the stave to save time. It split fine until the last foot and half. Then it turned into the stave and made it super thin. No worries its osage.  Half inch thick at the tip is fine right?

Well I made the profile and it was already bending floor tiller. I rounded the belly and chased some stiff spots. I wound up with a decent tiller but it felt light. Only 65#@28. So I am probably going to heat the belly good and hot to bring up some weight. May take two inches off also. Possibly 3. Id really like to at least be in the 90s@29". Thats a big gap to fill though.  Three inches off, I cant remember the poundaage gain per inch of pike. I think 5?

 Im probably just going to have a big bow that weighs little. Perhaps I will see if I can get 32" draw out of it. Add that with a belly temper and perhaps I will get to 90# if my tiller allows it. I could use it to train my form for when I finally get a bow made that pulls actual war bow weight.

I just shot it and it feels like a freight train fell off a cliff in my hand. Unholy amount of hand shock.

mikekeswick:
The handshock will be the tiller. Most people make these bows too 'round' you should have an elliptical tiller. Obviously elbs taper quite heavily in thickness your tiller should reflect this.
There is no way you will make 90# - I wouldn't even try. Sort out the tiller and use this one as a learning tool.
For every 1% of bow length you remove you'll get a 5% increase in weight. That is if your bow doesn't develop more set.

Del the cat:
maybe it's a warbow for small wars   ;)

I'm still worrying about how to use my Osage from the monster tree... it's fine graing and I can't decide to edge grain (like 1/4 sawn) or ring backed?
Del

sleek:
I will try for a fd pic later today.

Del, go for ring backed.  Leave the sapwood. Just remove the bark. You wont be sorry.

Badger:
      I made a 140# osage war bow several years back about 74" long. I was the biggest dog I ever made. Looking back I think it mush have had too much moisture in it. Bow took no set at all but for a bow this weight was very easy to brace. I later cut it down into a 50# flatbow and it shot like a normal osage bow.

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