Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: CrazyHorse1969 on August 17, 2014, 10:22:03 pm
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I am not sure if the attached pictures are clear enough, but is this Osage bow going to need a riser because of the lack of wood near the handle? I chased the ring, no worries; sketched out my design on the back, no worries; and whacked off some of the bulk of the belly, really only the length of the limbs, with an ax, no worries. Then a worry. I am not sure if there is enough wood on the belly for the handle (and, sort of just below the handle too). I did not take any wood off there; it is just the way the stave split. Someone, please, tell me that my bow is salvageable.
The long pencil mark shows the center of the bow at 1-1/4" deep. The other ones show a 4" handle and the 1-1/2" fades.
This is only my third self bow, so any and all suggestions are welcome.
Thanks!
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Its hard to tell from the pictures but it doesn't take much wood to have a non bending handle on an osage bow. You could always build it up with leather or cork if you need to.
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How thick is it at the handle?
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Where the longest line stops (the last picture, which I now see is upside down) is 1-1/4". I figured that would be an approximate finished depth. Is that what you mean by "thick"?
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It looks like you will be ok. I am working on a bow now that has a smaller handle than that one does. Mine too is the way it split. I'm just going to build it up with some thick rawhide.
(http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w668/lebhuntfish1/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-08/20140817_220713_zpsziyvhmzq.jpg) (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/lebhuntfish1/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-08/20140817_220713_zpsziyvhmzq.jpg.html)
(http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w668/lebhuntfish1/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-08/20140817_220435_zpsnhraw1jw.jpg) (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/lebhuntfish1/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-08/20140817_220435_zpsnhraw1jw.jpg.html)
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Great! Thanks for your help.
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Yes, back to belly = thick. 1 1/4" is thick enough for a rigid handle. You can add a cork or leather overlay on the back to fill your hand as you grip the bow. If you like a deeper handle you can add wood to the belly side of the handle. Any gouges can be filled with a glue and sawdust paste. This will just be a filler and tiller will tell how the bow bends.
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Any time, i'm still relatively new to this but that was the information I received from a Bowyer with a lot of years under his belt when I asked the same question...Patrick
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Yes, back to belly = thick. 1 1/4" is thick enough for a rigid handle. You can add a cork or leather overlay on the back to fill your hand as you grip the bow. If you like a deeper handle you can add wood to the belly side of the handle. Any gouges can be filled with a glue and sawdust paste. This will just be a filler and tiller will tell how the bow bends.
CrazyHorse1969, PatB knows what he is talking about.
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You could always build it up with sawdust and glue to stiffen it
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Looks a lot like one just did that is a trade bow so pics are coming. I built it up with layers of leather. Wood was triangular in the handle, which added to strength I believe. I kept thinking "that sure isn't a lot of wood" and it was fine.
Marco
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Thanks for all the help, guys.
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I just recently finished one with a near identical problem. On one half of the handle, thru the fade, the wood split oddly leaving me without a lot of depth on just one side of the handle. In other words if you were to draw a line horizontally across the center of the handle. and then vertically thru the center of the handle, one of those quarters was very thin. Narrowing the handle thru that area would leave me without enough wood to safely handle the task. I opted to leave the handle wider at this spot to compensate. I then built up the thin area with leather and CA glue, just for the aesthetics. I don't have the traditional flare out on that fade, as it was full width before getting there but, it worked well and is hardly noticeable in the end. You can look at the last bow I posted for finished pics, "Snaky Osage". I am not suggesting that your bow doesn't have enough depth, It may. This is simply how I dealt with what appears to be a similar problem.
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Scott by the time you narrow that down to say 1" or 1 1/4" it will look even better. Not to mention you can taper the top over just a bit and all that will be gone, what is left will be covered with a grip, I assume. Looks like your getting right after it man!
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Hey, Chris. When you say 1" or 1-1/4", are you referring to the handle depth? Or, are you referring to the handle width? I am assuming that you mean the handle depth. Also, how skinny can I take the handle width? I know I should make it comfortable to my own grip but just curious. By the way, loving working stave. Thanks.
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You are leaving it stiff right? If so, you can go down to 7/8" wide if you want. Leave them depth full for now.
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Yes. I would have to go measure the handle width to see what I have it marked at right now because I cannot remember. I have not taken it down all the way to the mark, but I am pretty sure it is wider than 7/8" right now. Good to know I have some room for more wood removal at the handle. I plan on getting to work on it in the next hour or so.
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Take it down to 7/8" and snap a new pic.
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Will do!
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Looks like you have it covered!
If the handle bends anyway it is ok.
Jawge
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I attached pictures with the handle at 7/8" wide. Do you think I am ready to take more bulk off the back then finish taking down the overall shape. The overall shape is real close right now, but I gave myself a bit of room to take the rest down.
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Looks good, I would go ahead and get it tillered. You can always work down the handle section later. Just make sure you have a fairly flat spot to rest the handle on the tiller tree. JMO, Patrick
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Exactly, keep it a nice flat spot on the back side for now. It will rest in your tiller tree or tiller stick better. The profile looks good.
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Cool. Thanks. Back to whacking away at it shortly.
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What Pearlie really meant was "keep a nice flat spot on the belly side so it will rest in the tiller tree better". ::) ;)
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Good catch Pat!
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That's why they pay me the big bucks, Pearlie. Always on my toes...and not just because I'm short. ;)
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I thought u walked on your toes so your bears wouldn't drag on the ground?!
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I reduced the stave a lot more, and I am starting to feel the first stages of life in the bow. Question: Before I reduce the belly even more, the top limb needs some bending, correct? It is bending to the back. If so, and I am thinking, yes, any suggestions? I am gun shy about the bending process because I do NOT want to muck the stave up at this point. The bottom limb, I think, is pretty darn straight.
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Do your tips line up? If so you don't need to do any bending. Unless you want to do some reflex or something. JMO Patrick
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The tips line up great. It is a straight line down the stave. I have put a "set back" at the handle in my other bows, but I was not planning on doing that to this one. Thanks for the reply.
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No problem, I guess the better answer would be that you could do what ever type of bending you would like to at this stage in the process. Patrick
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Id add 3" of reflex, but thats me! If you want to leave it alone for the most part, just get that deflexed limb to match the other limb. That's easy and doesn't require anything but 2 clamps and a heat gun. Heat up a 8-10" area until you cant touch it, usually a 15 minute job, then clamp it down. Over bend about 15-20%. It will spring back a bit.
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What are the "add 3" of reflex" steps, Chris? When using the heat gun, what should the setting be on? High? Medium? Low? Does it matter?
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You'd need a caul and at least 4-5 bar clamps, or 6-7 large C's. I use my gun on high for everything, I just adjust how closely I hold it. I heat up 6-10" sections at a time, then clamp it down and move to the next 6-10".
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Thanks. I will start doing some research on that topic.
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Its not too hard with Osage. Boarriorbows on YouTube has some pretty good videos on the subject. I would only suggest to add a little oil like when he fixes the propeller twist. Patrick