Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: snag on December 22, 2010, 08:34:40 pm

Title: Osage bow layout?
Post by: snag on December 22, 2010, 08:34:40 pm
If I'm wanting to shoot for 55#, plus or minus 5#, in an osage pyramid bow what dimensions should I use?
64" NTN, 1.25" wide handle, 4" long handle, 1.5" at the fades for 12", narrow to 5/8" at the nock....? Or
should I just evenly taper from the fades out to the nocks? Should the limbs be wider at the fades? 1.75"?
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: snag on December 22, 2010, 09:26:05 pm
???? What do you think????
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: snag on December 22, 2010, 10:07:15 pm
37 lookers....no one wants to jump in though....haha   
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: sailordad on December 22, 2010, 10:11:22 pm
due,give people a chance
your first post was at 5:45 pm tonight
this is your second response to your own post and its only 7:47 pm
not everyone has the answer to your question
personally o wouldnt know the ansower for  a pyramid style osage bow either

dont realy understand why you would want to use a perfectly goos piece of hedge for a pyramid style bow either
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: snag on December 22, 2010, 11:43:29 pm
Well there you go sailordad. That's the kind of input that is helpful. I thought out of 37 people looking in there was a whole lot more knowledge than what I have (zero) in how to lay out this bow. Guess I'm just too eager!  ;D
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: 1776J on December 23, 2010, 12:06:58 am
Well there you go sailordad. That's the kind of input that is helpful. I thought out of 37 people looking in there was a whole lot more knowledge than what I have (zero) in how to lay out this bow. Guess I'm just too eager!  ;D

Yes,... very eager!  Haha,...!!  ;)  I've done the same in the past with similar things, just itching to know stuff, etc.
Just be very patient,... especially when working with Osage,... let it teach you and don't rush things. (All advice passed to myself)

There are a lot of great fellows on here, and yes, it may take time to get the ball rolling for the answers you're in need of.  Be sure though, when the right guy
sees it, you will be helped.  Just make sure you never jump the gun and get frustrated when no one rushes to answer, it will just frustrate those who may otherwise have gladly
helped you....and don't get frustrated with your project.  When it ceases to be fun,..lay it aside.  Walk away and return later or the next day.

Like I said, I've been blessed by the help I've been given here,... and I'm a new guy like yourself.  You'll be happy with the majority of those you'll find here.

Keep us updated as you go with your bow. :)
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on December 23, 2010, 12:09:01 am
Whaddya expect, snag. The Celtics are on. I would go no wider than 1.5 in. 4-5 in handle 1.5-2 in fades. In the final analysis the width depends on the thickness of the rings and the amount of knots. By definition if you want to make a pyramid bow you have to go fades to 3/8-1/2 inch nocks. I almost never handcuff my self to a design like that. I go parallel to just past mid limb. I narrow as I tiller depending on how the stave is responding to wood removal. I don't want the limbs getting to thin. Also don't forget that your center line should follow the lateral grain. Picture perfect lines are good for fg bows but not so good for selbows. Jawge
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: 1776J on December 23, 2010, 12:09:52 am
Whaddya expect, snag. The Celtics are on.

Hahaha,...
 ;)
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on December 23, 2010, 12:14:07 am
I like my handles 1 3/8 in wide; 1.5 in thick...unless I want narrowed handles to bend. Jawge
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: snag on December 23, 2010, 12:16:59 am
Didn't know George....priorities, right? haha  Good advice...that's what I need.

1776J, THAT'S the little beauty I want to make! Wow!

Sorry to all that felt I was being over the top or something....just have some time and can't
wait to work on this piece of wood.
Thanks, David
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: bcbull on December 23, 2010, 12:23:28 am
DOWN BOY DOWN PULL IN UR HORSES   U LL GET UR AWNSER ID DO LIKE GEORGE SAYS BUT I LIKE MY NOCKS 3/8  MAYBE EVEN 1/4 DEPENDING ON THE BOW AND UR GONNA  HAVE TO DO SOME BENDIN  IF YA WANT A BOW LIKE THAT  GOOD LUCK  BROCK
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: broketooth on December 23, 2010, 07:19:01 am
snag, i did a pyramid design in my bow( 2 peice selfbow  first try) its just a straight taper from fades to tip. take a look its here on p.a. best of luck to ya on your new project. ruddy
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: Pappy on December 23, 2010, 08:10:41 am
bcbull,you don't have to yell.  ;):) :) I lay most of of mine out [if the wood allows] 62-64 n-n
4 inch handle 1 1/4  long fads  ,limbs 1 3/8 to 1 1/2 to mid limb,then tapper to the tips,start at about 3/8 and then thin to less than that when the bow is tillered. Some leave the tip wide to start but with Osage I never do ,if it don't line up in the handle like I want I just heat bend and make it line up,Osage resonce great to heat bending. I have made some pyramid with Osage but not very ofter,to much measuring off center line for me.I do most pyramid on straight grain wood where all you have to do is pop a line. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: Frode on December 23, 2010, 11:26:08 am
Got a picture of the stave, snag?
Frode
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: snag on December 23, 2010, 11:32:50 am
I took a draw knife to it just a bit to get a feel for osage. Wow! I love this wood. The feel of how chips come off
the stave..."like butter".  It is a special wood for sure. Somewhere in that stave is a bow....it is up to me to let it
come out.

Pappy, I think I'll go with the 64"ntn. Is there a way to determine ahead of time how much poundage you will
arrive at? Do you just start out with the limbs a little thicker and work them down?  What thickness should the limbs
start out at? I think the hazelnut bow I am working on (have it tillered to 25" now) has limbs that are about 7/8" at the fades and progressively thinner out to the point.   

Thanks guys, David
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: Alpinbogen on December 23, 2010, 11:42:45 am
That sounds like a decent plan, but it isn't what I consider to be a pyramid bow since you plan to run the limb width straight for some distance.  If you're using a 1.5" width, I like to run that width for about 6 to 8", then narrow the limbs in a progressively faster taper (vs. a straight taper) towards 3/8" to 7/16" tips.  I prefer a progressive taper since it keeps a little more meat in the lower to mid-limb than a straight taper, and aesthetically looks nicer.  I also like a longer upper limb and rounded belly.  On the grip, I prefer sort of a flattened bulb, about 1" max wide or a hair more and 3/4" - 13/16" wide at the arrow pass, with a fade length that matches the limb width.  You didn't mention your draw length.  62-64" is a good length for an average draw, but you you may want to got shorter or longer if you're a dwarf or an ape.  
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: Pappy on December 23, 2010, 11:46:12 am
For the lay out I mentioned ,I start with the limbs at about 1/2 maybe just a little more,by the time you are finished they will be around 3/8 or less depending on the wood. That will get the weight you are looking for. I never really pre tapper my limbs,just cut them to about 1/2 all the way,then floor tiller,I figure the tillering will take care of the tapper.I really never understood pre tapering an all wood bow,I understand it with lams or glass,wood in so different in the length
of the bow,not really that consicdent and then there are the knots and humps to deal with,so I just floor tiller so they are both bending as even as possible then tiller from there. I put them on the long string tillering pretty quick,while they are still pretty stiff and get them to short brace when I get the tips moving to 8 or 10 inches and all even.  :) By the way my long string is just long enough to go from n to n. Hope this helps. :)
  Pappy
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: gstoneberg on December 23, 2010, 12:05:16 pm
David,

I do my bows like Pappy, but for years I'd go longer than 64" so that if it didn't make weight I could shorten it.  I also helped a guy make a 68" bow because he was 6'3" and his draw length was so long.  If I were going to make a pyramid osage bow I'd start with an osage board and not a stave.  On a stave I let the wood dictate the layout, what Jawge described.

Good luck,
George
Title: Re: Osage bow layout?
Post by: snag on December 23, 2010, 02:16:26 pm
Alpinbogen, my draw length is 28". I'm thinking of going with 64".
I think I have terminology problems....I want a gradually tapering limb. I thought that was a pyramid design..? I want this bow to go from 1.5" and then like Pappy said keeping the width to that for the mid limbs (first 6"-8") and then tapering to the nock.
Pappy, I like that idea of keeping it 1/2" and letting the tillering dictate the depth of the limb.
David