Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: BowEd on March 13, 2018, 12:14:39 pm
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Last summer at Mo Jam my curiousity got the best of me when I brought home a bark on stave that was supposed to be from Kansas and harvested back in the middle 1990's.After chasing a ring and then floor tillering it to around 50#'s I left it set on the rack in the house.A month later I balanced the limbs and induced some reflex on my half form caul.I put it back on the rack for quite some time then till a couple of weeks ago.I thought I had reflexed the limbs to 5" retaining 80%.I just did another bow at 68" length with hooks on the same form that say it's 6.25".What happened I think is that I know this half form gives me 5" of reflex on a 64" bow.I did some assumimng and did'nt realize is that I heat curved the extended lengthed tips also more to give it a longer arched line.After tillering it to 50#'s it did retain well over 50% then yet that's including the tips of course.An honest mistake and I apologize.Too much time had elapsed from it coming off the caul to tillering it[like a couple of months] and I was mistaken.I've found a half form caul can give me options of positioning a full length form caul does'nt.
Limbs are rectangular shaped with a very flat flawless back and flat belly.After multiple sessions of 3 to 4 hour shootings adding up to a little over 300 arrows it has held up very well keeping it's profile.Shows only 1/2" what I call soft set after shooting then returning it's original resting profile within 2 hours.Very resilient wood yet.
The bow is 50#'s @ 28".66" TTT and 64.5" NTN.8" long handle with 10" to 11" stiff narrow outer tips.
1 and 3/8" wide @ fades.1 and 5/16" wide @ midlimb.Resting reflex @ 4".
Shoots smooth clean and quiet and a fun bow to shoot.Thanks for looking.Enjoy.
After tillering/shooting in resting on an old hedge post
(https://i.imgur.com/viccBbq.jpg)
Pointing to a bunch of young nut bearing oaks for the deer
(https://i.imgur.com/D34Z75E.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FjvNPd0.jpg)
Top view profile.
(https://i.imgur.com/Qv2SkCD.jpg)
Handle alignment of string.Ala natural.Has it shooting a variety of spined arrows dead on not grouped very tightly elevation wise....lol but does windage wise even at 40 yards.
(https://i.imgur.com/gVieP94.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/3HFyxyN.jpg)
Brace.A slight deflex out of the top limb fade makes it look a shade more positive tiller than it actually is.6.75" BH to the back.
(https://i.imgur.com/U0TUUUA.jpg)
Full draw.
(https://i.imgur.com/332afZo.jpg)
Close up pics of handle with my usual inlayed slightly raised [1/32"] horn dot arrow pass and modified type pin nock tips with sheep horn overlays.
(https://i.imgur.com/Z19MM0Y.jpg)
Bulbous type handle.
(https://i.imgur.com/EcpYIQu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/HOuiq71.jpg)
Bottom tip
(https://i.imgur.com/7MPqNUf.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7R0ReWk.jpg)
Top tip.
(https://i.imgur.com/Pllv4zn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/j7xgQI7.jpg)
I happened to get reminisent of my first osage self bow and wanted to show the difference side by side.You can see the photo senstivity of light on osage here over the years.It too is 66" long and 50#'s @ 28".Back then in the spring of 2009 I was so scared of hinging at the fades that I tillered the bow more or less whip tillered.You can see where the bow took set.Actually making the bow a short limb working bow on a long bow taking away it's advantage of longer limbs for a more comfortable smooth draw with a steeper string angle,but I was happy and tickled pink at the time to fling some arrows with it.
It seems I have gotten over the fear of hinging at the fades for quite some time now to the extent of coming real close to having the bow almost too round in the handle.It could have been a little more eliptical of a tiller with a longer handle.This paticular bow has 0 hand shock at least with 9 to 10 grain arrows yet.Handles are a big deal in how a bow feels shooting.
The difference in performance on these 2 bows is close to 30 fps @ 28".With the comfort level at full draw a lot more comfortable with the latest bow.Not many pictures took of the first bow because I did'nt join this PA forum till 2011 and then realizing the need by others for photo shots of bows.I built bows pretty much on my own except for using the TBB series books as guidance till then mostly.Still do actually but rarely any more.The insight on this site is invaluable.
(https://i.imgur.com/aACnzFg.jpg)
Bow on the left looks like it has an 18" long handle @ brace.
(https://i.imgur.com/l0A4kyk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/F3o7Nxa.jpg)
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Classy work on that one, Ed. I like the profiles and the plain beauty of an osage bow. What have you done with the arrow pass - is it horn inlay?
Also like that nearly transparent tip overlays, will come out nice when the bow darkens with some time.
You comparison with the 2009 bow is interesting, but looking at the unbraced side profiles makes visible why the newer is the faster for sure.
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Love the bow and the beard, Ed :)
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Beautiful bow Ed really like the hour glass shape in the handle , that one really held the reflex, what is
the tip material polished antler ? its nice !!
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Another beauty of a bow Ed. :OK
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Thanks fellas.
simson...The arrow pass is a slightly raised horn dot inlayed.Been doing it this way a while.I like 0 obstructions and clean whispery departure for the shaft when leaving.So the shaft rides on a very small raised area less than 1/16" and on my knuckle.Osage could probably get along with out it but white woods scratch more so.Some do but I don't have a problem with noise with this kind of arrow pass while even drawing the bow.Knock on wood but I've never had a deer jump the string on me yet.I personally think it helps to have arrow pass close to center shot also.Also sheep horn is about the hardest horn I've used for overlays so far.
Chris...That's 10 months worth of growth so far.
Rich...The overlays are sheep horn.
Paul...Appreciate it Paul.Thanks.
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Nice nice reflex, sir.
And 50#? You're feeling your Wheaties!
Looks like arrow pass is within 1/8" of center.
Congrats.
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That is a great looking osage bow. Love the handle and the tip overlays. Thanks for the photos and the comparison with the older bow. Very cool 8)
Will B
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That's beautiful Ed. The unbraced picture is, to me, what a bow should look like. If it isn't RD of course. When you lean a bow against the wall it should spin around til the back shows :D Nicely done.
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Very nice bow, Ed and what a comparison. :OK
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Nothing like a simple, clean Osage bow. Well done, Ed.
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Nice bow, Ed. That's a lot of reflex. Geeze. Nice job.
I like the beard too. You look a LOT like my father in law. His name was Ed as well.
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Dang nice job as usual Ed! Don't you love it when they hold there reflex.😀
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OOOOOh yea ....really like that design. every profile looks right on.
DBar
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Ed,
Nice work on that bend, looks even man :OK
Don
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I like the profile of both. One provides early draw power the other a softer one. Some would prefer one over the other. I choose the later in my bows though. My preference would be the flat unstrung profile.
Thanks,
Greg
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Beautiful Ed, you sir have come along way and I really enjoy your bow designs.
Bjrogg
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Very slick bow ed! Like everything about it
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Looks like an Ed bow to me. Clean, elegant, and ready to rocket an arrow. Nice work my friend
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Thanks to all for you comments.Your insight from them is appreciated.
Most times I blame myself for a bow not being what I envisioned.Not the wood.This time I guess it'll work in reverse a bit.The fella who has more of these staves will sell them.He's more into FG bow making nowadays but has made some pretty darn good self bows himself.That's ok.Thing is none of them had the bark removed so they all are a bit more work to get to a ring through all of the wood wasp holes even into the heartwood a ways.So it's like the Forest Gump movie trying 1 out you never know what your gonna get....lol.They are deep staves though.He got them back in the late 1990's in Kansas at a fencing supplier yard.
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That is my style of bow right there Ed. That held it's reflex good. I hope it sees some time in the woods this fall. There's no doubt that will get the job done on a deer.
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Very nice lookin bow, great job.
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Looks like a new MoJam Clout shoot bow to me Ed. (-S
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Thanks fellas.
Greg....I hear what your saying.Those soft early string followed easy drawing bows are deadly accurate when it comes to accuracy for hunting and such.People will be surprised to know many a deer are killed with arrows only going 140 to 150 fps but with the arrow hitting right where it should.
Bob...I did'nt do so well at last years clout shoot but kept gamblin....lol.Maybe next year your right.
Clint....As long as it's osage heh???Seems we all like em when they turn out ok.I do figure to try to get some blood on it this fall.Shooting it all summer ought to get me really used to it.
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I should have mentioned in my last reply that I think you have a real candidate for bow of the month there. That bow looks like it would be super-sonic. :BB
Thanks,
Greg
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Wow Ed, that is really a well made and designed bow. You nailed it!! Great job!
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Amazing BowEd. That to me is the epitome of a self bow. I would vote for it in the B.O.M. for sure, Great work
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Very nice! It looks like rocket launching deer slayer. Job well done!
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Solid, reliable, long lasting hunting tool you have there, with looks to boot!
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Ed, I think I remember that guy from Kansas selling pipe straight osage fence posts. he had a pile of them for about 20.00 each. I didn't think Kansas wood was all that great so I passed on them. You have me rethinking that.
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Im with you Steve I have never thought much of the Kansa's hedge compared to the Ind or Il hedge but I think maybe a combo of Ed's skill and the wood on that one ,hey Ed ,maybe its the pic but did you keep that one more paralelle to the leaver fade then your usual ?
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I don't know fellas.Could be that the stave was 20 yeas old too???I have some conceptions about that aged seasoned thing.He stored them in a small garden shed that was out in the open so I'm sure it got pretty hot in there at times in the summer.I've only worked on Iowa osage mostly.I think 1 Missouri stave though.They all were'nt near as old as that one.3 years old at the most.
The limbs start out 1 and 3/8" @ fade then to 1 and 5/16" @ midlimb width wise.From there tapered in width to base of lever.I think I stretched that top fade out to at least 3" long to 5/8" or a little less wide at the base of lever.I carried the reflex out on that lever to give it a clean arching type line side view when giving the bow reflex.
Just measured thickness @ midlimb and it's a shade under 7/16" like 13/32".This is some dense osage I think.
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I am with you on the seasoned wood ED, I believe it takes about 10 years to really call one seasoned and who knows 100 years might even be better.
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That one turned out awesome, would love to get some Osage of that caliber one day
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Ed, I miss a day of checking out PA and realize I'm late on seeing this beauty! Like Badger said, you totally nailed this one. Absolutely gorgeous profiles and tiller. You set the bar high my friend. )P(
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Ed, I like your work, that profiles look very nice to me, congrats
Hans
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Thanks fellas.I don't show many bows any more.Just slowed down some I guess and don't show everyone I make either.
I've been tillering out bows of this design for quite some time now.Lately at least most times the results are quite a bit more pleasing.Could be the wood or the finessing of the design and tiller.At times that can be hard to tell why when making different length bows of same design but with different wood.Are you as confused as me now?.....lol.Length of bow can be a big factor most times but in this case I gotta side in with right design with the right length for the right type of wood.Although I think this wood would make a very nice bow on any design.
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Beautiful bow Ed, very nice work. ;)
Pappy
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Very nice!
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Really nice bow, love that you kept it clean with just the arrow pass. Awesome reflex too!
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All around beautiful bow!
Mike
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Real nice! That is either an inspiration to newbies, or very intimidating to pretenders. I got a lot to learn!
Hawkdancer