Primitive Archer

Impressive Dave...they look great.   

Thanks Bob.  Much appreciated

Welcome to the dark side of bows!   We don’t get much action over here but when we do it’s on! That’s an ambitious list of bows you got planned.  I can do what I can to answer some of your questions where I dare to.  I’m no expert either but have made some horn bows over the years.  Adam’s book was my main resource actually and made some of my own personal tweeqs along the way.  Here are a few thoughts from your list.  As for a single core wood sections I would say for sure would work but need to make sure you have the thickness needed where you will need it.  Maple is the preferred core wood for many makers.  I know elm has been used also with success.  I’ve not yet tried elm but do not doubt it would work.  Using multiple pieces of horn on the handle areas may be fine but I personally would not do it extended into any portion of bending part of the bow.  If I were to hazard to guess though I would say you may be better to test this multiple piece horn belly on a more conservative build like a Mongolian or relaxed ottoman bow perhaps then on a Korean which are typically very very reflexed and under a lot of strain on belly.  I would stick to one solid piece of horn on each limb on the Korean.  I have experimented with horn spliced bellies with some success and some failures. It’s mixed bag and I still have yet to determine what went wrong for sure.  I use bamboo for my Korean builds.  I carefully choose either matched spacing in nodes for each limb or a single piece and add the handle build up section later on the sinew side.  I’ve done builds with rind side in and rind side out.  On the Korean builds I score only with very fine grooving tool.  They are not matching grooves.  I use only sturgeon bladder glue for this.  Not a mix.  I make this glue from the the inner bladder scrapings of air bladders of the sturgeon.  Croaker bladders also work well too but I have better access to the sturgeon bladders fresh.   The sinew layer I use a mix of home made sinew only glue and sturgeon glue. About 30% mix glue 20% sinew glue to 10%sturgeon glue.  The steam bend of rind side out builds with bamboo are possible but the bending is easier to make with rind side in (belly side).  I am actually testing a couple of these now with rind side out bend limbs to see if any difference in strength or cast.  Grooving is important on bows over 50lbs.  It would be a shame to put all that effort in to only find a lot of time and resources wasted.  Ask me anything you like and if I can answer I will do my best.  Again I’m not expert but have learn a bit over the years of breaking and making which is the best way.  Best of luck on your builds.  Lots of guys here to help.  Adam’s book is where you can get your measurements and details on dimensions.   Persona message me too if you want.  I just posted some update progress pics on my build yesterday so there may be infor over there that may be of some help to ya.  Welcome to the dark side.  lol. 

West System is one of the two best resins there are to use for boats. I use it for my bows. It thins out like water when heated with a hair dryer and it gets out into the cracks well. I dont know anything about the other epoxy Simk is using but it seems to work also, so options are a good thing to have.

If the log is 69” long build a 67” flat bow . You can’t go wrong if you have built selfbows before. I suggest 1-1/2 to 1-3/4” at fades. But most any design works on Osage

My frame of reference is hickory self bows and sinew-backed juniper.  I'm guessing this is going to be a lot different from either of those.     The staves are around 84" long; some of them have a bend at the end I'll have to remove or work around but otherwise it looks straight, no knots, no twist! 

The ends are sealed with glue, so I will have to do a little sawing to see what the rings look like.  I'll try to post a few pics later.  I'll probably try to split off some of the sapwood on the most likely looking stave this weekend.

If the log is 69” long build a 67” flat bow . You can’t go wrong if you have built selfbows before. I suggest 1-1/2 to 1-3/4” at fades. But most any design works on Osage