Author Topic: How thin can limbs be?  (Read 422 times)

Offline Steve Kendrot

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How thin can limbs be?
« on: May 12, 2012, 08:20:00 AM »
I have an Osage stave I've been practicing technique on. It split asymmetrically and one limb was very thin.  By the time I cleaned it up and balanced the two limbs, it's about 60" long. Barely 1.25" at the handle and tapers to .75 " at midlimb and 0.5" at tip. Being so narrow, would a rounded limb cross section be better than a flat limb design?

Offline Osagetree

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2012, 08:58:00 AM »
I would say yes, rounded.
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Offline Steve Kendrot

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2012, 10:21:00 AM »
Thank you.

Online Pat B

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2012, 12:07:00 PM »
How thin or how narrow?
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Offline Steve Kendrot

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2012, 12:50:00 PM »
The limbs are narrow. Talking width not thickness. Sorry.

Online Pat B

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2012, 01:42:00 PM »
I like 1 3/8" wide for any osage bow. 1 1/4" will work too. I've made quite a few 1 3/8" x 60" osage selfbows in the 45# to 60# range. Also, IMO osage likes a slightly rounded belly. It can handle the concentrated compression stresses and performs well with a rounded belly.
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Offline Steve Kendrot

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2012, 04:20:00 PM »
This stave is 1.25 at the handle but begins tapering immediately. It's about 3/4" at midlimb and 1/2" at tips. Just the way the log split didn't leave much at the one end. We'll see what happens. I'll do a rounded belly.  Thanks for tips.

Offline John Scifres

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2012, 08:51:00 PM »
I have made 2 bows barely 1" wide and and 60" long that made 60# at 28".

I'd make the bow 3/4" wide for as long as you can and try for an English Longbow style.  In other words, almost as thick as it is wide.
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: How thin can limbs be?
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2012, 09:08:00 PM »
I made an osage sucker bow that was an inch wide that came out 49#. Jawge

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