BBO horn belly ?????????

[sub-zero]

ok after reading some horn bow threads and already planning a bbo I have desided to get creative and make a bamboo backed osage core with horn belly bow in a rf/df layout. anyone on here ever make one? and if so what was the core lamb total thickness and horn thickness? and how did it preform? thanks for any help Gang Merry Christmass

[rainman]

Go to Dryad,s website they make them.  Traditional Bowhunter did a review on their bow last years.

Dan

[sub-zero]

thanks for the web site rainman the dryads are some beutiful bows. I hate to pick the brain of a man trying to make a liveing buy makeing bows thow. any of you at home bowyers ever make one? If I can't find any info guess I will just wing it 8^)

[John Sturtevant]

Flat tiller your bow to a lighter weight and then add the horn.  
I glue the horn on with smooth-on.  Start with a thickness of .080 to .100 then thin to .040-.050.   Easier to glue and get even clamp pressure when it’s a bit thicker.
 I usually end up 6-8#’s heavier after the horn is applied, thinned and the belly rounded.
Prepping the horn is the most work….rest of the process is pretty straight forward.

Assuming your using Gemsbok or Buff horn?

[sub-zero]

Thanks John thats kinda what I was thinking of doing. I am planning on using gemsbok horn since it seems to be cheeper to get and I will probley screw a couple up to start with    Since horn can take alot of pressure can you make a bow shorter buy adding a horn belly. Iv been trying to think of a way to make a rf/df long bow as short as I can for bow fishing in the 45# range and think this may be the ticket

[John Sturtevant]

Tony, the horn will hold up to a shorter design….if your bamboo will.
How short were you thinking?

[sub-zero]

I was thinking arround 50 inch but the bow would probly only be pulled 26" to 27" max since it is snap shooting fish I short draw it.58" would proubly be about as short as I could pull off you think?

[Rebel001]

I dont have experience in this as working on first horn wood and sinew composite myself. From what I have read though I can get about as short as 40 something inches but I think that has a lot to do with using a sinew backing which is very good in tension, I dont know where bamboo sits in terms of comparison with sinew for tension support though ie can it be pulled as far etc.

I would have thought that around 58" you wouldnt have needed a backing on the osage at all but wait for someone to jump in and confirm or deny that idea.

Kind Regards
David

[sub-zero]

rebel i know bamboo will not take what sinew will I have been told that for a BBO with a 28" draw that 64" ntn was a workable bow but I do not know if the limitations of it are do to the backing or the belly. If it is the belly then my thought was that horn would take the compresion of a much shorter bow ntn. but just how short is what I am woundering.

[wingnut]

the horn will take it but the bamboo won't.  You can go pretty short but have to balance the tension and compression sides.  I'd like to make a horn bellied sinew backed bow someday to see just what it will do.

MIke

[sub-zero]

thanks Mike you make some outstanding bows my friend. Thats kinda what I was thinking. I will have to get to work on it post some pics. 3 more kid bows to mske and I can make one for me