Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: nativenoobowyer86 on June 14, 2011, 11:48:19 am

Title: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: nativenoobowyer86 on June 14, 2011, 11:48:19 am
Hello everyone,
This is my first Osage Orange selfbow!  Because i live in Canada, i had to go to great lengths to get my stave($$).  As to be expected, it was a fun-filled, rewarding experience.  The wood really seems out of place up here, and makes that beautiful yellow color stand out even more.  I loved working it, i loved finishing it, an i love shooting it! :D  I hope to take my first whitetail with it this fall.  One thing i had trouble with is a name :P  but i will let it name itself in due time.  I left it a little longer than i needed, and a little wider than needed for the simple fact that im still fairly noobly as my name suggests :D Sanded it with every grit known to man and burnished it with a spoon.  Gotta thank Mike Yancey for the stave, told him the type of bow i wanted to make, length, and my experience level. and he sent me a great stave :)

flatbow, 64 inches ntn, pin nocks, 1 7/8 wide at the widest point, very slight taper to midlimb, tapers increses at midlimb to just under a half inch at the tips.
started with about an inch of reflex, was dead flat after tillering and is now taken the slightest bit more set at rest, under an inch of set just unstrung
heat straightened one limb to fix the string alignment and left all bumps, dips, and twists for character. Finished with 4 coats of satin poly
55# at 28 1/2  please forgive my terrible form and worse photography skills

Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: osage outlaw on June 14, 2011, 11:51:36 am
Great job!  That looks really good.
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Eric Krewson on June 14, 2011, 11:54:04 am
Nothing like osage, mighty fine bow. Looks like your bottom limb is a little weak. I would cut about 1/2" of the bottom limb and recut your nocks to get it a little stiffer. This way you won't loose any poundage and might gain a little.
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Pat B on June 14, 2011, 12:17:28 pm
You handled the character of that stave very well. Very nice bow. I agree with Eric...cut 1/2" off the bottom limb and recut the nocks. Other than that, very well done!!!  8)
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: IndianGuy on June 14, 2011, 12:55:23 pm
Very Nice bow you have there!  8)
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: ErictheViking on June 14, 2011, 01:19:16 pm
that is a very nice bow. perfect for hunting.  listen to Pat B and Eric K they know what they are talking about.
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: toomanyknots on June 14, 2011, 01:19:42 pm
Noob or not thats damn professional looking bow and a damn professional job you did.
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: JackCrafty on June 14, 2011, 01:24:45 pm
 8)
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: bigcountry on June 14, 2011, 05:31:43 pm
Wish my first osage looked that good.  Congrads
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: nativenoobowyer86 on June 14, 2011, 05:50:54 pm
jackcrafty, toomanyknots, ErictheViking, IndianGuy, Osage outlaw -  Thanks for the kind words!

Eric Krewson, Pat B - Thank you for taking the time to check out my work and i appreciate the advice :) That is another good reason to leave it long.  I scrutinized the crap out of it, stared at it, changed its position, flipped it around and stared at it some more.........but now that you mention it, the lower limb does look weak lol  i will chop and reshape that nock tomorrow after work. :D
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: George Tsoukalas on June 14, 2011, 05:52:36 pm
Excellent. Very nice bow. Enjoy it in good health. Jawge
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Cacatch on June 14, 2011, 06:04:47 pm
I don't think the bottom limb looks weak at all. I think it looks excellent the way it is. I think if you chop and reshape the bottom nock you will not end up happy with the results.

CP
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: johnston on June 14, 2011, 07:21:13 pm
Truly nice. I would shoot it a while then look at it again before trimming any but hey I'm a noobie too.

Great looking bow.

Lane
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Eric Krewson on June 14, 2011, 09:50:11 pm
Just finished my 136th bow, I spot things pretty well. Use a ruler, measure down 1ft from your nocks with your bow strung and check the distance from your string to the belly on both limbs. This will tell you idf your bottom limb is weak.
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Cameroo on June 14, 2011, 10:48:46 pm
Nice job bud  ;D
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: stickthrower on June 14, 2011, 11:11:24 pm
That is a really nice bow you got there!  I like the look of it alot.  Great bow Man!

Nathan
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: PeteC on June 14, 2011, 11:42:38 pm
You did a fine job on that bow. Nice work. God Bless
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Stingray45 on June 14, 2011, 11:55:00 pm
Awesome looking bow. I'm working my first piece of osage myself. Got some snakey character to the stave, wasn't sure what to do with the snakes from back to belly but I see your bow has some and I like how it looks so I'm gonna do my best to keep it in there.
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: ken75 on June 15, 2011, 12:49:56 am
this may be your first selfbow , but ya cant hide a craftsman ! great bow
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Badger on June 15, 2011, 12:59:18 am
  Very nice Job on that bow, I have been making my osage bows a tad wider as well. I agree with Eric, just a tad weak in the lower limb. Very nice work, looking forward to seeing more of your bows, I have a feeling their will be more. Steve
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Almostpighunter on June 15, 2011, 02:13:47 am
Nice work brother!
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Pappy on June 15, 2011, 07:53:00 am
Good looking bow,Good idea on the lower limb ,but if it hasn't been shot much I would shoot it
some and check again,if it is still the same then I would do what Eric/Pat suggested. Very nice work.Looking forward in seeing more. :) :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Eric Krewson on June 15, 2011, 11:42:28 am
Bottom limbs are always the one to get weak, even after a bow has been shot in. I have chopped off an inch or so off a bunch of my bows bottom limbs over the years.
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Bow Nut on June 15, 2011, 02:39:34 pm
great looking bow good job.  the lower limb does look about a 1/4 inch or less off.  Nothing to worry about keep it the way it is dont alter it as others suggested. Beautiful, like the pin knocks
Title: Re: My first Osage Orange selfbow!
Post by: Atticus on June 15, 2011, 03:22:05 pm
That is a fine looking bow! The hard work and patience are really showing through - very solid. But, If the lower limb is a problem, i'd be happy to take that bow off your hands   >:D