Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Timo on February 18, 2009, 05:04:15 pm

Title: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Timo on February 18, 2009, 05:04:15 pm

After reading here about the sturgeon backed bows, I figured I’d throw one of mine in the pot.

I built this lil bow in 07 for the ABC contest. The tiller got away from me on the bottom limb and by the time I caught it up, it was under weight. I went ahead and finished it and just hung it on the rack. I got it down a while back and decided to take off some weight and refinish it.

58” Osage w/sapwood from a 3” sucker tree, mostly sapwood. This was my first time with sturgeon skins, and wished I had more. Really cool skins, I opted not to use the center of the skins as they had a few holes in them, (but I did save them).The tips overlays are water buffalo. 54# @ 28”. 1.25” @ the fades, full length taper to 3/8” tips. The belly is riddled with pin knots. It carries 2.5” reflex @ rest. The finished bow weighs 14 oz.
This bow really has some great cast for such a lil thing. They are just a bit hard to me to shoot.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Timotoad/bow%20build%2009/sap2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Timotoad/bow%20build%2009/sap1.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/Timotoad/bow%20build%2009/sap3.jpg)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: david w. on February 18, 2009, 05:35:59 pm

Wow, that is really cool.  The tiller is great!  i really like that! :)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: ricktrojanowski on February 18, 2009, 05:39:26 pm

Beautiful bow.  The tiller looks absolutely perfect.  I love those skins.  Awesome job.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: madcrow on February 18, 2009, 05:41:23 pm

The bow and skins both look great.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: AndrewS on February 18, 2009, 07:39:41 pm

A nice one.  :) :) :)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: chesjen on February 18, 2009, 08:18:31 pm

If i could tiller a bow like that i would post pics too! That thing is Sweet! My Wife likes the skins.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: crumrw on February 18, 2009, 08:51:00 pm

That skin makes some awesome camo!

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Keenan on February 18, 2009, 08:51:18 pm

Very nice bow Timo.  Your tiller looks good and the tips very nice as well. I love sturgeon and other fish skins because they add both beauty and protection.  Congratulations ,    Keenan

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: brownhillboy on February 18, 2009, 09:45:20 pm

Very nice bow, looks great!   :)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Timo on February 18, 2009, 11:06:24 pm

Thanks all, for the kind words. Now where can I get some more of those skins? :)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Hillbilly on February 19, 2009, 09:04:58 am

Man, that's a great looking bow, Tim.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: DanaM on February 19, 2009, 09:08:37 am

Thats a purty little thing :) I have an osage sucker laying around somewhere gonna have to look for it.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: David Long on February 19, 2009, 10:16:24 am

I'd say that's a perfect bow in my mind. I like it a lot. Dave

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: JBL on February 19, 2009, 11:49:51 am

Purty bow.  I love the osage and sturgeon together.  As someone else said probably the perfect bow.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Pat B on February 19, 2009, 12:00:04 pm

Great little bow Tim. Skins look cool anrd the tiller is quite good too but I wouldn't expect anything different from you.    Didn't you know you can't make a bow with osage sapwood in it?  I have made a few with sapwood and I wouldn't hesitate to make others.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: DCM on February 19, 2009, 12:13:30 pm

A beauty as usual Timo.

Don't know about sturgeon skins, except that sturgeon like deep, big fresh water.  You would think folks in the NorthEast, Michigan, etc. would be more likely to have ready access.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: DanaM on February 19, 2009, 12:18:38 pm

David here in Michigan there are places where you can still legally harvest one fish. They are far from common though.
The best place for them is most like the Northwest.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Timo on February 19, 2009, 10:22:16 pm

Pat B, I cut this stave in the summer,hotter than dbl hockey sticks,just peeled the barks off like one would on hickory or elm. I let it dry for an hour,( mainly to let the initial wettness leave) and layed down 3 good coats of shellac. No checks. Great way to debark.:)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Pat B on February 20, 2009, 01:05:17 am

Tim, As you know, even though osage sapwood is weak relative to the heartwood, it is still stronger than lots of other woods out there. If you know it is sound, it will make a good bow. I have made a few bows with different degrees of sapwood; some with a ring or two on the back and one that was all sapwood with a thin strip of heart coming out of the handle...and all have done well.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Knocker on February 20, 2009, 01:24:54 am

Nice one Tim!  Very inspiring bow!  In fact, I posted right after you, and show photos of the osage bow I plan to back with Sturgeon.  So could you give us some details of what you used for backing glue and finish?  Did the skin change your tiller?

Thanks!
Keith

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 20, 2009, 01:48:00 am

That is just an awesome bow Thimo. All around gorgeous and a great tiller.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: AKAPK on February 20, 2009, 02:00:27 am

That sure is a Dandy Sturgean Backed Osage Bow ya got there :) Like that tiller. ;)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Pappy on February 20, 2009, 08:01:03 am

Beautiful bow ,I like that a lot,Tiller looks great and the finish work is excellent.Very well done.  :)
Bet it will spit an arrow. :)

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Marc St Louis on February 20, 2009, 08:21:54 am

Very nice bow Tim.  You've done a great job tillering that one out

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: Timo on February 20, 2009, 08:32:09 am

Yea Pat,Nothing wrong with sapwood.I like the contrasp it gives a bow. I have several more staves such as this that are waiting,(they whisper at me everytime I walk by them) :)

Knocker, I used liquid hide glue on this one.I thinned the (dried )skins some on a belt sander,and then gave them a good soak in warm water,before I applied them. Didn't wrap the bow, just babysit them until they set. hardest thing I found was trying to trim the access skins off! Very tough! I just got them cut close and then filed the edges after dry. I use T-bird finish.

I didn't notice any tiller change, but these skins definatetly have backing strength properties. Reminded me of catfish, and paddlefish skins in that respect.

Again thanks all for the good words,makes a fella feel warm coming from you guys.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: OldBow on February 21, 2009, 10:37:27 pm

This bow is absolutely gorgeous from sturgeon to tiller. Mighty nice and bookmarked, too, for Feb Self Bow of the Month fun.

Title: Re: Sturgeon backed osage sapwood.
Post by: 330bull on February 22, 2009, 11:24:07 am

Man oh man why wer you hiding this for so long?  It's Awesome!  The knots on the backside make it look like a piece of yew.