-------------------- Try to be the person your dog thinks you are :0) TGMM Family of the Bow N.Y. Bowhunters member Posts: 4157 | From: Dansville N.Y. | Registered: Mar 2004
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Thanks Jason, Kenny (I hope before Hickory even), and Drew. I appreciate the comments and encouragement.
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18838 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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Bernie, you are definitely following the cardinal rule of selfbows... take it slow. I am really enjoying your pictures and the story they help represent. Keep it coming!
-Brett
-------------------- Excellence is achieved, not purchased. Posts: 431 | From: Minburn, Iowa | Registered: Aug 2007
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Thanks, fxe and brett. Yeah, I wish i could do more but I think it helps me to kind of let it sink in between sessions. I think I also get to enjoy the progress more taking it slowly. On the other side of the hill though, I wish that cold molasses that's running up the hill in the wintertime would let me catch up to it just a little bit -
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18838 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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OK, Got to do some more Osage bending this past weekend, and I'll update, as promised. However, first I want to show you a little bonus of another new bow Mike is working on. I got to help him "shoot it in" some, while waiting for my bend work to cool on my stave. The new one is a sweet little Bamboo Backed Osage, Osage Tip overlays, Poplar and Massandruba handle, 51# @ 27" (it was about 44# at my 25 1/2 or so). Mike says it still shows some extra stiffness in the bottom limb (he wanted it a little stiffer than the top limb) but we both felt it behaves and shoots so well, and comfortably that he may not do much more than sanding work now. I really loved the bow's feel, quickness, and accuracy, and he liked the chance to see it shot by someone other than just him, so he could stand back and eyeball it in action.
Mike at Full Draw:
New Bow at Brace:
(See next post for update/pics)
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18838 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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Now, on with my Osage Self bow. You'll recall, we moved the handle over to make for less bending of the limbs (hopefully). Next step is to move one limb over (laterally) in line with the handle. The vice holds the other tip within it's handle area, and we shimmed and clamped near the bow's handle. We'll grease and heat the mid portin of the limb (to The right) and then clamp it a little further over than we hope it will settle after cooling:
Now greased, heated, and clamped:
That having worked out very well, we set up to work on the opposite limb. This one needs the tip moved over laterally (like the other one) but we also hope to reflex the end some (to match the natural reflex in the opposite limb) and twist (with a padded cresent wrench) the outter portion of the limb a little - all at the same time, after heating and greasing. This time I will be heating The outter portion of the limb rather than the center. A little trickier moves, and we can only hope for the best results:
Fancier (more convoluted - LOL) clamping and bracing on this limb/tip:
Again I was blessed (and well guided by Mike's previous experience), although a little more reflex might have been nice - we'll see about that later. After cooling period and unclamping, we ran a center line (using a Chalk line string), and you can see (in the the pic below) we now have a pretty pleasing center line, on a fairly straight stave, (with some "whooptie" character places - LOL) Both Mike and I were very pleased:
Next session I'll take the sides of the bow in to the layout lines, pretty much to where I would like them to be in the end.
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18838 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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Looking good. I'm watching closely as I'm in the middle of my first osage bow as well. Keep it coming.
Bill
-------------------- TGMM Family of the Bow
The most frightening thing you are likely to encounter in nature is yourself. Posts: 1258 | From: Overland Park, Kansas | Registered: Aug 2005
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Thank you and best of luck (and skill) to you also BMN. Ain't it great fun and satisfaction?
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18838 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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Yes Bernie it is great fun. I've started tillering and progress is slow. It's looking ok so far. I think it might actually become a bow but I still have my fingers crossed. Looking forward to watching your progress. Thanks for sharing.
Bill
-------------------- TGMM Family of the Bow
The most frightening thing you are likely to encounter in nature is yourself. Posts: 1258 | From: Overland Park, Kansas | Registered: Aug 2005
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Thank you, both, for reading and for your kind comments. i really enjoy reporting on it.
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18838 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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Well I did get to go over and Work on my Osage Bow today for a few hours but again I'd like to show you the progress Mike has made on his real snaky stave that i showed you at the begining of this thread. He is pretty much at the point I am on mine (or a little further) but close to floor tillering. In this pic you can really see the character running rampant in this osage and the three (count 'em three) knots that come all the way through (holes) - small one near the top, large one in the center, and medium near the bottom. It is a beaut though and I'll bet is going to be a fine shooter in the end.
Now back to my First Osage Self Bow. Today, using Sure Forms (flat and curved), 4 in Hand File, Draw knife (as scraper), and Ka-Bar, (as scraper) itook the sides of my stave into the outlines of the Bow shape I am looking for. Here is a couple of pics (not much difference in them - except the flash spot) of how the stave has (perhaps miraculously) turned into a Bow Shape. Now the bow is ready for belly wood removal to get it bending for Floor Tillering - next session. I really enjoyed this session too, BTW - most satisfactory use of tools and results.
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18838 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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