Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Build Alongs => Topic started by: bigcountry on May 21, 2008, 02:46:00 PM
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Well, I took a class the 08 Trad classic and was able to build my first Osage bow. 34 hours of labor and still need to finish it up.
Here is the log after debarking and seeing which ring I want
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0012.jpg?t=1211395513)
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Lets get busy chasing that badboy.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0011.jpg?t=1211395587)
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Finally got the hang of seeing early wood and late wood and feeling the cruchiness with a draw knife.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0014.jpg?t=1211395658)
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Almost there, late into the night first night. I have only 1ft left to go but gotta go home. Can't feel my hands, and hurt all over.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0015.jpg?t=1211395741)
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Finally, next day Friday down to the ring, and have to clean up around those pin knots clustered.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0016.jpg?t=1211395824)
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Now, got to find the centerline. We are about 12-15 hours into this. I am moving at turdle speed. And I have trouble really reading the grain as the pictures can show with all the lines
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0018.jpg?t=1211395890)
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Ok, found the centerline, I hope, and starting to lay out the design. I have a 4" handle, 1 3/4 fade, and stay 1 3/4" for 11" before pyamid out to 3/8" tips. Overall length 67".
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0023.jpg?t=1211395986)
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Ok, its about 8PM second day, almost 13 hours into it. Thanks goodness for the bandsaw. He had me draw kniving until I think thought there was no way we could finish over the weeknd.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0025.jpg?t=1211396116)
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Bandsaw the belly. Made it so much easier with out all that extra wood. Good news is I got an extra stave out of the bottom.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0028.jpg?t=1211396243)
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Ok, getting into night on Friday Night and lets start rasping the handle with the nickolson 49
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0032.jpg?t=1211396324)
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More rasping the handle on Sat Morn. took 3 hours to get it the way I like it. Hey I am slow.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0031.jpg?t=1211396430)
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Rest of the day and evening I worked on taking off excess off limbs and profiling with the ferriers rasp. I love the ferriers rasp.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0035.jpg?t=1211396492)
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Ok, late Sat Night, starting to get some bend, not much, start floor tillering. Still using the rasps and cabinet scrapers at this point. We are 26 hours into the build now. Did soemthing I haven't done in over a decade. Bought some ben gay and used a bottle of bayer asprin. I am out of shape.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0034.jpg?t=1211396582)
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Cut in some nocks, with a chainsaw file, and made up a 72" B50 string. Ok, lets skip ahead past the floor tiller, and here we are braced. I think it looks good.
Still very heavy. Doing the bow dance warming up the limbs getting them used to bending.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0036.jpg?t=1211396759)
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Little more scraping, and she's probably 62lbs or so.
Only drawing her to 3/4 draw. Very scared at this point.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0037.jpg?t=1211396861)
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Little more scraping, I have a still top limb thats nagging me.
I am 2" from full draw here, but feel good. I have shot her since about 60 arrow or so. She has about 1" of string follow. But I am dang proud of her.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBuildalong/IMG_0038.jpg?t=1211396936)
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Well, I will post more when I get her finished. I am adding some elk hoove nock overlays, and a leather shelf, and wrapping the handle. Still deciding what to finish her in.
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Turned out pretty darn good! Wish I would have the patience to try something like that.
Greg
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Yea, Greg, doing this all at once caused me to make mistakes. REally didn't have time to think what I was doing or be real careful sometimes. If possible, I recommend doing it in stages. But I hope this is first of many.
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Very nice!
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Sweet. Thanks for posting.
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Guys, I have a question. I am seeing some string follow. About 1". I hear thats normal. A friend is sending me some sinew. The bow now is about 58lbs @ 28". If I sinew and put snake skins over, will it raise the wieght of the bow significantly? I know I will have to retiller.
Only reason for sinewing is I don't like string follow, and want to learn how.
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Great job :clapper:
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Sinew will stiffen it up some. How much depends on how much sinew you put on. One even layer should give you close to 5 pounds. With luck, and pretty even sinew application, it may not affect the tiller much. Good luck. Nice job.
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You could add 5# to 10# with sinew. You will be adding moisture to the wood again and will have to wait for it to dry. You could also kick the tips up a little(with heat) and that should increase performance or even heat treat the belly.
You did a nice job on your bow. Is this your first self bow? If so, you did an excellent job. Pat
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Very good!!!! :clapper:
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Yea, this is my first selfbow. I am quite proud of it. Thanks guys for the advise. I am not wanting to put the sinew on to raise weight, but to take out any string follow, and just learn how to sinew. So any weight it adds, I figured, I would tiller off.
Does that make sense?
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looking good!!!
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There is nothing wrong with 1" of string follow. I'm lucky to make a bow with only 1" of string follow and I've been making wood bows for 20 years. A lot of work goes into sinew backing and in my opinion its not worth doing it unless you plan to achieve performance with it. If you live in a humid climate the sinew will relax a bit with high humidity and stiffen when dry. I have had sinew backed bows loose and regain over 10# throughout the year do to humidity. Pat
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Oh my gosh pat, I don't want that.
I have a sinew osage bow, that wouldn't shoot worth a darn on a damp foggy day. Very sluggish. I never thought about that. But I bet thats the reason.
Thanks for the advise.
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Cool....celebrate with a theme song. Once you get past the intro its a pretty good song, and scenery of a bowhunter's dream. One of my all time favorites from the 80s.
Big Country (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOgCjTXVnWk&feature=related)
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Thanks Terry, I always needed a theme song. Now, I just need a sidekick to travel behind me with a boombox with it playing as I walk.