First osage build along

[TroyH]

This is my first osage bow to build, and it is going to have lots of character.  That may be good or bad.  I've posted some of these pics already, but I'm going to put them all together in this one thread.
Here is what we started with.

   

Getting it reduced.

   

As you can see, it has a prop twist in it.  I've decided to leave the twist and lay it out so that the string crosses the center of the handle.

   

Here I've got the bow layed out.  It is a little hard to see in the bring sun light.  As you can see, I've got several knots to work around and work into the layout.

   

   

   

Today I hope to cut it out with the bandsaw.
Also, when I was scraping around the last of two knots, I noticed that I had violated a ring, so it is one more down we go.  That's ok, because it made the outer ring my drawing platform.
More pics as I progress.

[Pat B]

As you go along, leave the handle area alone and leave an extra 1/4" on either side of your tips. These are not needed until the tillering is finished and you can make side to side adjustments at both places if needed later.
   Looking forward to seeing your progress.     Pat

[TroyH]

Here I've got the outline cut out.  Look, now I have an airplane prop, and what's all that yellow stuff?

   

Right now I'm scraping off the ring that I found violated.  
I do have one problem; I don't think the handle isn't going to be thick enough.  I may have to get the handle area and possibly fade area flat and glue in some wood.  What do you think is the best solution?

[TroyH]

Oops, I posted a sideways pic didn't I.

   

[Pat B]

How deep is the handle area on the stave?    Pat

[TroyH]

Pretty much all the way down the stave until you reach the large/near end in the photo, it is 1 inch deep with a facet or pyramid extending a little beyond that.  Of course, the faceted area will end up being flattened out.  You can't tell it in the pic, but beginning about half way back on the near limb, that is how it is shaped.  I think I can go with a 1 inch handle and then build it up.  Any other suggestions are welcomed.

[TroyH]

It's now roughly cut out and scraped to the final/back ring.  The knots are dug out as best as I can for now.  Now begins the real work of getting it cut to proper depth and starting to bend the limbs.
BTW, this thing is full of knots.  If I can make this thing work, it will have lots of character.

   

[hit or miss]

With all of those knots, you could call it Lumpy!

I'll be following this closely.

[TroyH]

Well, I think I'm making progress, but this is a difficult one.
I have put it on a long tiller string, it pulled about 70# at 10".  I'm shooting for about50-55# at 26-27.
As you can see in the photo above, it really has a twist to it, though I hopefully got a good line between tips and handle.
Here is a pic of each end at it lies flat on the handle.  It was difficult, but I tried to measure the degree of twist in the ends, and it looks like somewhere around 15-20 degrees in each end.
One end:

   

The other end:

   

Finally its profile:

   

As you can see, there is quite a natural reflex in one end and just a little in the other.
Here are questions for those who know.  
With this much twist, do you think I should try to straighten some of it out or leave it?
Also, should I try to induce some more reflex in the end with less natural in it?

[KILLER B]

I would put it in a caul and take some of that twist out along with inducing some more reflex into the other limb.  Looks like it should it make a bow anyway.  Keep us posted...

[Shaun]

Best time to make adjustments with heat for twist and reflex is at floor tiller stage, before any serious bending past brace height. Looks like you are about there.

[Pat B]

I agree. At floor tiller time you have reduced enough wood so you can heat it up easily. I would clamp the handle area on the caul and gradually work out each limb with heat, clamps and wedges. It might get a little tricky around the knots but the wedges will help around them as well as help to straighten the twists.     Pat

[TroyH]

Ok, decided that the twist was just too radical, so I have it on a straight caul to try to work some of it out.  Because my handle area is more shallow that I wanted, it isn't perfectly flat, somewhat rounded on belly.  So when I tried to apply twist to one end, the handle area tried to roll.  To fix that, I had to clamp the opposite end to give an opposite reaction.  Now I have the handle area pretty flat and both limbs pretty even.  I may have to go back to do some more work, but we'll see how it comes out after cooling first.
Here she is on the caul after applying heat and clamps.  I used little pieces of scrap leather under my clamps to keep from damaging the bows back.

   

[TroyH]

Well, it's been a while since my last update, but she's all finished.
She weighs in at 54# @ 28" and is 64" n2n.  I have about 14 pics to post, but I am very happy with the way it turned out.  

Here is looking down the back from both ends.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/finalback1.jpg

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/finalback2.jpg

It kind of makes a S but the string lines up across the handle.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/alignment.jpg

Look at some of it's character.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/knot1.jpg

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/knot2.jpg

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/knot3.jpg

As you can see in an earlier post, it had some natural reflex in one end, and I induced some in the other.  After it was finished and string follow set in I guess, it comes out almost perfectly straight.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/profile.jpg

Here are two of it strung.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/strungprofile.jpg

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/strungprofile2.jpg

Before I forget, here is the handle and the grip after I finished with it.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/handle.jpg

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/grip.jpg

A couple of the finished product.
These aren't the best light.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/finished1.jpg

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/finished2.jpg

And one more at full draw.

 http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/TroyHarkey/atdraw.jpg

Now if I only had a "straight" piece of osage to work with.  It would be a piece of cake after this one.

[TroyH]

I used the wrong code, so I'm going to repost the above message with the correct code.

Well, it's been a while since my last update, but she's all finished.
She weighs in at 54# @ 28" and is 64" n2n. I have about 14 pics to post, but I am very happy with the way it turned out.

Here is looking down the back from both ends.

 

 

It kind of makes a S but the string lines up across the handle.

 

Look at some of it's character.

 

 

 

As you can see in an earlier post, it had some natural reflex in one end, and I induced some in the other. After it was finished and string follow set in I guess, it comes out almost perfectly straight.

 

Continued:

[TroyH]

Here are two of it strung.

 

 

Before I forget, here is the handle and the grip after I finished with it.

 

 

A couple of the finished product.
These aren't the best light.

 

 

And one more at full draw.

 

Now if I only had a "straight" piece of osage to work with. It would be a piece of cake after this one.

[Dano]

Nice job Troy, I just have two concerns. It looks to be whip tillered or bending more in the outer limbs. Also cutting the string knocks through the back is a recipe for disaster.

[TroyH]

I think you are right on the whip.  I thought I had the tiller real good but after I finished everything up and shot it a few times it does seem to have a little whip at the end.
About the knocks, I "think" I've seen lots of osage bows cut that way.  Am I wrong, and what would you suggest I do about these two issues?

[George Tsoukalas]

Pastor, it is a bit whippy but not bad. I don't know if I'd fix that but you could by scraping closer from the handle out. The violation at the nock is very bad. I saw a bow break there at that area for the same reason. Yes, you have seen it but at an overlay which is ok. I suggest you do an overlay at the nocks. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

Those are pretty deep nocks. Can we get a picture of the nocks from a side view? Jawge