well I tried

[Tradslinger]

Well, am recovering from a triple whammy. Thanksgiving I had a very bad sinus infection and my wife broght home the covid so I had to get it too. I also somehow managed to get strep throat and so couldn't swallow anything. lost nearly 40lbs and got super weak. But doing better now, still weak. A friend had sent me 4 Osage staves right before I got so sick and I have been staring at them all the time. One is even ready to begin floor tillering but my two car garage where my workebench and tools are is just too cold for me right now. The Osage stave is calling me, no, screaming at me but I can't handle the cold so great anymore. so, I kind of mentioned something to my wife about maybe working on it in the house, we don;t have carpet. But she let me know, no way and left. She came back with this little electric heater, the two car garage doesn't have a ceiling and is big. It would three months on high just to warm up a few degrees. So, looks like I will be studing the stave a while longer. Probably for the better, really need my left eye to heal up better anyways. Heck, it's cleaner than a big motorcylce being worked on inside the house.

[Digital Caveman]

Glad to you got over covid.  I feel that a lot of people are way to scared of it.  You could probably at least work on laying out the bow in the house.

[Pat B]

With sinus problems and recovering from covid I would suggest not working on a bow right now. The dust alone from the osage could cause serious problems. Also recovering from the initial covid infection of only the beginning the recovery. I have a few friends, both young and healthy that got covid early on in the pandemic, got over it with not much trouble but almost a year later they still have lung problems, constant headaches and their energy levels have not come back anywhere near where they were before.
One of the main tools of building wood bows is patience.

[Tradslinger]

With sinus problems and recovering from covid I would suggest not working on a bow right now. The dust alone from the osage could cause serious problems. Also recovering from the initial covid infection of only the beginning the recovery. I have a few friends, both young and healthy that got covid early on in the pandemic, got over it with not much trouble but almost a year later they still have lung problems, constant headaches and their energy levels have not come back anywhere near where they were before.
One of the main tools of building wood bows is patience.

well that explains the constant headaches. my energy level is getting better but still lack some drive to just go do things. wasn't looking at making much dust, mainly fine shavings. yeah, I got in too big of a hurry on the first two bows that I made. The last one was a red oak with bamboo backing that ended up at 50lbs, top end of my abilities before the covid. can't draw it now at all

[Pat B]

Fine scraping causes fine dust, probably the worst kind for lung problems. Take it easy and get your health back. We don't know the long term problems with covid but if there is a chance of long term health problems it just isn't worth the risk...at least for me it isn't.
There were more than 4000 deaths due to covid yesterday alone and today will probably higher. In December alone over 77,000 deaths occurred due to the virus...77,000!!!

[Hawkdancer]

As for the dust a double cartridge respirator mask should help - when you are well enough and the garage is warm enough!  Don't try to push too hard.  Might try to get a bigger gas heater for the garage, but that could cost a few bucks!  As Pat said it isn't worth getting sicker! 
Hawkdancer

[Pat B]

Open flames of a gas heater and fine dust can be a problem too.

[Digital Caveman]

I agree about the gas heater and dust.  A local wood worker lost his shop and thousands of dollars of wood, tools, and stock last February.

In December alone over 77,000 deaths occurred due to the virus...77,000!!!

  Do you mean worldwide or nation wide?  I know there are some discrepancies between estimates, some people count deaths caused by covid, some count deaths with covid, and I heard some people count deaths of any cause within 30 days of testing positive.

I have heard that the overall fatality rate for the country in 2020 is only a little more than in 2019.  Not bad for a raging, deadly pandemic.  We could be a lot worse off.

[Pat B]

Those are official US numbers. The fatality rate for 2020 was over 340,000. I doubt the covid death rate in the US was more than a couple of hundred in 2019.

[Tradslinger]

I don't plan on getting in a hurry, I do a little and rest a lot. I have a knife that I am working on, walnut butt and osage handle with brass at blade. A little thank you to my friend that sent the Osage to me. I had already sent him some river cane for arrows and some bamboo.  I got the better end of the deal so he is getting the knife. This gift stave is one that I mean to take my time on and make it into a decent hunting bow. We have some classy people in the trad community and probably some not so. I do truly appreciate everyone's concerns and thank you. The trad world had been lost for a few years do to vision problems and other health issues but has been getting more encouraging with my cornea transplant in Nov. So I will have lots of questions as I do work on this bow. Thanks, Jerry

[Mesophilic]

so, I kind of mentioned something to my wife about maybe working on it in the house, we don;t have carpet. But she let me know, no way...

There's a slow wearing down of a woman's resolve that is miraculously possible.  The main rule is always clean up after yourself...above all else follow this rule. 

It's taken years, starting with baby steps...but persistence is key.  I didn't start out my marriage brain tanning elk hides in the bathtub,  I assure you, but at this point, my lovely wife just closes the door to hide the smell and asks when she can have her tub back 

When you feel better, just peel a couple of shoots for shafts in the living room while watching tv.  Make sure to clean thoroughly.  Work on building that trust.  Before you know it you'll not only be tillering bows in the nice cozy indoors...you'll be using her crock pot to keep hide glue warm and sinew backing in the kitchen.

[Hawkdancer]

OOPS!  Forgot about the dust factor!  BOOM, !  Maybe an electric heater, or an exhaust fan, along with a dust collector.  Got to set up a DC in my shop, but it has an exhaust fan, just have to remember to turn it on when sanding.
Hawkdancer

[Hawkdancer]

Well, re: covid - too many have died, period.  Re: building trust, flowers and chocolate help a lot, cleaning up even more!  Be sure to spread newspaper to catch the shavings and vacuum!
Hawkdancer

[Hawkdancer]

Btw, make her a bow, too!
Hawkdancer

[Marc St Louis]

There were more than 4000 deaths due to covid yesterday alone and today will probably higher. In December alone over 77,000 deaths occurred due to the virus...77,000!!!

Yes that's a bad situation for sure.  I really feel sorry for all the people who have suffered from this and especially for all the health care workers who have to deal with it.  We're not so bad up here, although that is changing now with all the idiots partying over the holidays