Gnarly stave, torture it or me?

[TroutGuide]

So I have an Osage stave roughed out that is 68"x 1.25"x 3/4" tapered at the tips.  It is mostly flat along the back but with lots of dips and swells and a few small knots.  The bigger problem is the snakes and dips and twists down the stave.  Look at the pics and tell me what you would do. Go for it as is(I think the tips could line up it tillered properly), heat the whole thing mostly straight in both planes(with some reflex), put it aside till I have more experience, or your suggestions? I hope to make a bow around 50lb@27 from 66-58" ntn.
Back
 
Belly
 
Side
 
Back
 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Id reflex the whole length 3". And only move it laterally enough to line up the string. That's a nice piece of clean osage. Those wiggles and humps wont hurt a thing.

[LittleBen]

I second what PD said. I'd probably straighten some of those really gnarly bends a little to get the tip alignment and put a little reflex. I wouldn't try and get it pipe straight but just a little straighter ... but that's just one man's opinion.

[Dan Landis]

It looks like you will have to do a bend through the handle bow, it doesn't look like enough meat to do any kind of a handle.  3X what PD said, heat in some reflex, straighten the sides just enough to line the string up in the handle if necessary.  Other than that it looks very doable.

[talkingcabbage]

Looks like fun! X4 for Pearly. Take your time and go slow. The last one I did looked very similar to yours, and I just pulled one tip in a bit to line up the string and then set in 3" of reflex. Tillered her out slow and she's one of the smoothest self bows I've made to date. The only other thing I'd suggest is when she's close to where you want, maybe toast the belly a bit to help hold in some reflex.
Back her with a snake skin, too. She'll look great!

[John Scifres]

I find it real helpful to have 6" or so of the tips in the same plane as the handle/string.  I like a little even(ish?) reflex too.

[TroutGuide]

Okay Gents. That sounds like a plan. I will fire up the heat gun tomorrow for minor longitudinal corrections and major latitudinal rework. I hope to either make a thin stiff handle or glue on a handle section if I can keep a stiff section for it. I think I should with 3/4 to work with and plenty of limb length. I would haveft more "meat" but there were checks in the belly and I lost all my wood getting rid of them. I'm starting to think next time I will just leave the cracks and hope for the best. Any ideas why I keep having belly checks? Otherwise thanks for the input.

[Pat B]

I'd line things up like John suggested add a bit of reflex and start tillering. Once you get to first, low brace you will see how the string will track under tension and then you may have to do a bit more straightening but not necessarily.

[razorback]

How dry is the wood. Checks come from the wood drying and shrinking, thus splitting. if it is not dry enough you may want to wait before applying heat to it.

[TroutGuide]

Almost two years I think in a Texas garage. Cut in the winter.

[Roy from Pa]

That is going to be a sweet bow, best of luck with it.

[TroutGuide]

Okay. I actually did more straightening than I had planed bc there was a lot of twist and issues getting the tips to line up but there is still plenty if snakey goodness left. Reflex is not totally even but it's as close as I could get it. Now to let it recover for a week or two. Like I said before it is 68" long I don't think I want/need that length but how much should I take off? I think at least 2" from each end would be okay, right? I want to leave that snake but it can be part of the tip without being a problem or should I leave it and just take off from the other end?
 
 
 

[TroutGuide]

Here are the tips.
 
 

[PEARL DRUMS]

62" is a safe length for 28" draw. That handle will have to work, that's helps shorten bows up a lot.