Home Grown Hunting Equipment for 2006/07 (UPDATE - Nov. 5th, 2006)

[Osagetree]

Okay,,, here I am back on the locust stave. Got it down to a size I can heat bend just like I did the osage stave before.

Before
   

After
   

Now the other limb

Before
   

After
   

Here is what I got out of my trouble. I can live with it. I did get in a hurry and scorched the wood a bit,,, oh well, I can live with that too...
   

The growth rings on a locust are pretty thick. The wood is like working with butter compared to osage. One thing I do with locust is round the edges of the belly and the back, just a tad bit.

You may be able to see in theis shot.

 


Its profile on the tiller tree

   

And the first pull, I was working the limbs to about 6" and I am at 50lbs.

   

Now I got to reduce the weight as I am working the tiller,,, this bow has promise at the moment.

[LazerRay]

Thanks Osage

[ozarkcherrybow1]

WOW, just read this for the first time from the beginning. Very inspiring Osage. Thanks for sharing. I'll be watching to see how everything works out. Expecially like the quiver!
Terry

[jchunt4ever]

First off, I must just say WOW....you are doing some awsome, awe-inspiring work! Keep it up as I can't wait to see the final outcome.        
I do have one question though, do you know if the Locust you are using is the same as the "Thorny Locust" (that is what I have always called it) that we have an abundance of here in Western Oklahoma? If not do you or anyone know if it would work and look about the same as I really like the way your's is looking so far?

[Osagetree]

Okay, after several times on the tiller tree today, I have the black locust bow bending 55lbs at about what will be brace height. Still got some more to do as far as tillering goes.

 

Now, here is one side of the handle area. Looks pretty good,, huh?

 

Well this is the other side of the handle area. It was ripped out as the log was quartered. Almost half of the handle is torn up pretty bad and will make the handle very uncomfortable.


 


At this point in the day I was to lazy to plane it down and glue on wood or leather. I don't like the idea of padding under the handle for a fix , so this is what I am doing to fill in the ripped out handle area.


Using a large flat file I even out the ripped area and remove all the splinters. As you can see in the pic. half the handle is not there.

 

I Take a little saw dust from the osage and locust work and mix it with a little titebond glue to form a paste or putty.

 

Mix until smooth but not to runny.

 

Using a small piece of wood I fill in the missing area of the handle and let it sit for a while to cure out. The close to finish I can get with the putty the less filing I'll have to do later.

 

 

Never done this before but as long as it ain't in the working part of the bow I can't see why it won't work. We'll see!

[Osagetree]

jchunt4ever,

This is black locust that I am using. It does have thorns but, so does honey locust. Do some research on the net to be sure what you are considering to use as bow wood.

Shoot, if you live in Oklahoma you should be able to find some osage orange with little or no problem. It is the the better bow wood by the way.

Thanks for asking  

[jchunt4ever]

Yeah there is a lot of Osage here too. I just really like the grain and darker color of the your Locust bow. Plus, farmers will almost pay you to get cut down those Thorny Locust as they are so dangerous and painful. I will do some research though and see what kind they actually are.

[Osagetree]

Link for Black locust ID;

 http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/singlerecord.asp?id=390

[Osagetree]

After a few days of drying the putty I made from titebond and wood shavings has hardened. Like I said a while back, I may use some unusual tactics to get the job done. This is a good example!

This is what it looks like now.


     
     

I take a fine half round file and shape the repaired area of the handle. It reminds me of particle board, but sands almost like real wood.

     

After a little work with the file, things are taking shape.

     

When finished shaping the repair I just ran the file lightly across the whole area to blend it in even more, and it almost looks like real wood.
It won't really matter though, as the the leather handle should cover it up when it's added on.

     

It may not be perfect but it is more comfortable in the hand than it was.

[blacktailchaser]

man,that is great work that you are doing.i have been following along.just wondering what you are to use for broadheads.thanks for posting this.john

[Osagetree]

Blacktailchaser,

I have some old circular saw blades that are worn out. I am going to fabricate those into broadheads. Well at least thats the plan!

Bear with me,,,,,,,,,

[Osagetree]

I worked on the tiller a little more and all was looking pretty good, so I have decided to go ahead and add the antler overlays in the same manner I used on the osage earlier in the thread.

This took a couple hours to cut the antler, shape it, glue it and let it dry. Tomorrow after work I hope to cut in the string nocks and make a string for the bow.

#1
 
 

#2
 
 

[BigRonHuntAlot]

AWESOME Thread, You are VERY talented.  

[Broken Cedar]

ttt

[TexMex]

Awesome talent!!  

[robtattoo]

Man. If I wore a hat, I'd be takin' it off to you. You're an inspiration to us all.

[BillJ]

I've really enjoyed reading this thread.  You should turn it into a book.  You've certainly got enough material here to make a good one.

Thanks for the effort that went into sharing this.

BillJ

[Osagetree]

Thanks guy's, those are some really kind word from you all, but I am no more talented than you all are!

This is really hack bowyery! There are a lot of talanted craftsmen on this site, but I ain't one of them. I do not get technical with demensions and lay outs. Or tiller to a precise degree of measure. But sometimes, I do make a bow that will kill. That don't take a hole lot of talent. It does take effort to learn just how to get wood to bend and recover without breaking it. Once that is learned the rest is just frills, add on's and making it pleasing to the eye & this does'nt help effeciency of killing.
All my hunting buddies hunt with big name brand compounds and I like them to look at my selfbow with some degree of interest while they chuckle under thier breath so, I pretty it up for the on lookers. Funny thing is, and I am trying not to jinx myself here, but I am usually  dragging meat or horns before they are!
       

Dispite my breaking the only round file I own, earlier in the thread, I managed to get the grooves cut in the overlays on the black locust bow.

   

Belly side.

   

I only have about 6 weeks before season! I gots to get this'n done.

[Luke Vander Vennen]

dude. You're my hero  

[Osagetree]

Wish I'd a started young like you Luke! THANKS!

I've decided this Black locust will be my hunter bow this year and before I start finishing off the tiller I've decided to go ahead and apply the blacksnake backing.

So, I roll out the salt and air dried skin to get ready. At this point, I decide the section I'll use for the backing. The blacksnake does not have much of a pattern but what it does have I want to run down the middle of the limbs the best that I can manage.

 

I sneak the skin into the house as the wife is having a rummage sale this morning, but I know you guys won't rat me out!

I run hot water on the skin to rinse off any salt left behind from drying. At this point it is stiff but the hot water loosens it up pretty quik.

 

I'll rinse it several times then let it soak for a little while. Man I hope she does'nt go to the bathroom before I'm done. She did'nt say much about the cattail reeds when I made the quiver earlier in the bath tub, but snakes she dont like.

 

Then a little Dawn Dish liquid to remove any oils from the snakes fat.

 

Then a thorough rinse in cold water to get all the soap off. I put it back in a clean bucket of hot water and head back outside to the shop,,, that was close the wife was coming in as I was going out!

 

I use acetone to clean and remove any oil left in the wood from heat bending sessions.

 

Laying the skin out on the bench with the bow belly up on top of the skin, I place the bow in the section of the skin that I want to use for backing.

 

Using a sharpie marker, I trace the outline of the bow. I do this a little larger than needed to leave room for errors.