Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Little John on May 14, 2009, 11:36:12 pm

Title: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Little John on May 14, 2009, 11:36:12 pm
I have been procastinating over this bow forever now. Pat sent me the stave about three years ago and he made a nice bow out of the other half of the pole. I procastinated for a long time before starting then decided to try my favorite design, the holmie. The half pole had about three inches of reflex and I had never worked with deflex before. I decrowned it and shaped it to the Holmie shape (kind of),  the handle section was too thin for the kind I wanted so glued on a piece of scrap oak and was afraid it would pop off so wrapped it with gut hafting material and sei it in tbIII glue. I guess I got carried away with the floor tillering as by the time I put a string on it it was already way under weight, I piked it a bit and ended up with 62" n-n  and then it tried to lift a splinter on one of the many small knots I had decrowned thru.  So it gets to sit around for ever and I finally decide to back it and see what happens. Put on some sinue (ugly job of it) on the working part of the limbs and it sits around for a month or so before I string it up and see what I have.  about 45# @ 29#   1 7/16" wide to mid limb and iefle tower shape to 3/8" nocks. Keeps a bit over two inches of reflex.  I am not real happy with the tiller but  don't  to loose any more draw weight. Seems to shoot fairley quick for such a light bow, has no hand shock, and sends a 525 grain broadhead arrow about 157 yards. My first bow with a little deflex and wide tips and the same weight sent the same arrow 135 yards. A well made 50# osage bow of mine shot the asame arrow about 165 yards. Not an elk slayer by any means but I think maybe I learned some things with this bow.

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Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Pappy on May 15, 2009, 05:38:30 am
Sweet looking bow,bet it will fling and arrow.Nice work. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Cromm on May 15, 2009, 06:29:22 am
Coool. Nice work.
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: DanaM on May 15, 2009, 07:22:36 am
I think you did just fine on it Kenneth :) Don't see any reason that it won't make meat :)
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: GregB on May 15, 2009, 07:40:30 am
Turned out good Kenneth...I think every bow made has some kind of lesson in it. I think I'd take that one hunting this fall! ;)
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Ryano on May 15, 2009, 08:15:05 am
The tiller looks pretty good from here. Nice one Kenneth.  :)
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Little John on May 15, 2009, 10:07:09 am
Again, this is the first time I have worked with healthy Amount of reflex, funny how it felt heavier in the early stages, I guess it is partly the early draw weight thing and then it draws so smooth it hardly picks up more weight later in the draw, as opposed to a bow that stacks. The same thing happened to me on another holmie I am working on with a heat treated belly and even more reflex but at least it is near target draw weight. It was just hard to get too excited about a target weight bow so I havent even sanded out the tool marks or put on a finish yet  but am getting to feel safe about drawing it deeply. Oh and it will definatly shoot hard enough to destroy a cane arrow shot over the hay bale at 35 yards that hit a piece of sheet metal. They are all fun.    Kenneth
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Christophero on May 15, 2009, 05:03:32 pm
Good effort and nice bow.  I have one or two that need attention, also. ;D
Are you a welder?  Your t shirt looks like my Dad's did when he was at the shop.
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Granite Mtn on May 17, 2009, 02:15:33 am
I do not see any thing wrong with the tiller considering the front profile, all in all excellent work.  Staves with a lot of reflex in them can be a bugger, deflexing the handle area seems to make tillering and making weight easier.
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Hillbilly on May 17, 2009, 10:07:31 am
That looks like a good bow to me, Kenneth, don't see anything wrong with the tiller either. Sounds like it's shooting like an average 50# bow, shows that it's well-made and efficient. Good job, those pain-in-the neck bows are usually the best teachers. I've got several of them sitting in the corners myself. :)
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Little John on May 17, 2009, 10:33:06 am
Thanks guys, Actually it is pretty nice and I am having fun shooting it. It is my first bow not to have a couple inches of set. All in all it was a very good teacher and I got to practice things I have never done before like sinue backing and working with a highly reflexed stave. When I get around to it I will maybe put on another course of sinue, sand it out and put on a finish and some art work.  And yes I have been a welder all my life and did not realize how sorry that tee shirt looked.        kenneth
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Pat B on May 17, 2009, 11:43:44 am
She came out nice Kenneth. The excess reflex is intimidating and deceiving. Another courst of sinew should bring the weight up a bit but sounds like it is shooting well as it is.
  My pole bow(the other half of yours) developed a crack across the back a while back. I haven't done anything with it lately but will eventually do a fix on it. It always shot well.
  I thought your t shirt was a fashion statement! Good ventilation during those hot Colorado days.  ;D
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: david w. on May 17, 2009, 07:48:26 pm
Really nice holmie! I like it
Title: Re: Osage Sapling Holmie (not for B.O.M.)
Post by: Little John on May 17, 2009, 08:22:27 pm
Thanks Pat and David. It is beginning to shoot really well with properly spined arrows especially when drawn deeply.  Now to purty it up.      kenneth