And here we go!(First selfbow) Not Good but Not Lost

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Alright so I went and got the bug (and I mean bad) I haven't finished a bow yet but I sure learned alot and had alot of fun trashing the first two staves I started with. My uncle got me going in the right direction and I am sure he will have plenty of input on this project but I figured I would make it a TradGang thang as well.

 Me chasing a ring, man I love this osage!

     

Heres a few pics of the stave after takeing her down to a good ring

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

continued....

[Stiks-n-Strings]

heres a few with a string looking for the best layout to find my center for the nocks

 

 

 

 The big knot is gonna end up mid limb I left two rings around it and will clean it up later.
 
 Do you self bow guys think I should try to put some reflex in the limb that is not gonna match the other or just leave it?
 I would like to put a little recurve in the tips and go for static but would that be a bad idea with the snake in this bow?
 How would some of you guys lay this out?
I'm not opposed to a longbow or whatever.
 
It measures right now 61.5" long to 1.5 wide to 1" belly to back at narrowest

 I want to keep all the character in it that it can have and still make a quick shooter. I plan on 1/2" or a little less at the tips and about 1.5" at the fades.
 How should I get my limbs down from tip to fade and still follow the snakey grain? I have decided to stick with hand tools only on account of I want to develope a relationship with her and take it slow so she will serve me well in the years to come.

 I also plan on one of those laminated leather rest and handle on her if that makes a difference in lay out and maybe overlay the tips the same way.
 
 Alright bring it on fellas I can take it.
Oh yeah I almost forgot I got a board bow layed out that needs worked on but I think I fell in love with osage.
 Kris

[Eric Krewson]

First thing I would do is buy a heat gun if you don't already have one and straighten your stave as much as possible, especially the doglegs. This will make layout much easier.

[Pat B]

I agree with Eric but I would get it to floor tiller stage first.  Leave your tips and handle area full size for now. You don't need to shape them yet and you might need the extra wood to make adjustments later. Hand tools are all that are needed at this point. Go slow, exercise the limbs with each wood removal.
   Once you get the "kinks" out and get the limbs to bend a bit you can clamp the stave to a form with a little back set(about 3")and heat out the undulations and add even reflex to both limbs.
  Keep us posted! Looking forward to your progress.

[Dano]

I agree with Pat and Eric. This stave will teach you a bunch.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Where is a good place to buy a heat gun?

 I was looking at this stave and pondering and I figured if I could heat the center section of the bow (about a foot and a half) it will bring the tips into better alignment.
 
 How do I go about heating it with a heat gun? Where and how much?
 
 Should I try for a static recurve or just go for the reflex?

Well off to make some more shavings and yeller dust    and bring her to floor tiller

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Wow them heat guns ain't cheap.
 Can't I just steam bend this baby or heat over some coals like the injuns done it?
 I would like to keep this as painless on the pocket book as I can.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Alright..
I cleaned the edges of the limbs up with a rasp and sqared them off to the face and reduce the belly and got her bending just a little, maybe 4 inches give or take.

 I did find a vertical split in one limb that has got me kinda worried the pic with dark mark is on the back of the bow the red mark is on the belly and opens up when I bend it I don't know if it goes all the way through but I think it might. It is 9 inches from the tip on the back and startes 7 inches from the tip on the belly
 What do I do with it?

heres the pics
 one limb
 

the other limb
 

and the split (it is a hair line so I marked it)
 Back of bow
 

Belly of bow
 
Let's hear it.. What do I do know.
Gotta go to work now I'll post more later.
Kris

[talkingcabbage]

If it opens up when you bend it, I'd think you'd want to fill with superglue, or wrap with sinew?  I'm sure Pat or Eric has delt with this before though.  I'm still a newbie compared to those guys.  Definately do whatever they tell you!

[vanillabear?]

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I was thinking CA but never gave the heat thing any thought, makes sense though. I'll give her a go and see what happens.

[Eric Krewson]

Put your super glue in the back or belly depending on which side is cracked the widest. If the crack is pretty substantial I put tape on the opposite side to keep the superglue from running out and fill the crack until it won't hole anymore. I also tap the side of a stave with a wrench to settle the glue and get the air bubbles out.

Even if a crack looks filled you need to check it every so often for a while as the glue will often seep deeper into the crack after the initial filling.

[razorback]

Stiks, check your local Ace or True value hardware. They have heat guns for $30 or less. No need for the real expensive ones. You could even go to Harbor Freight and get one for $10 but I had one and it went kaput after one use, though that was probably just mine.

[JMartin]

I'm not a very good self-bowyer at all...in fact, I'm pretty awful. However I did stay at the Holiday Inn Express last night! Okay..Okay... I do know this, I have an osage bow made by Dano, as well as one made by Eric. They are masterpieces. You would be wise to listen to their advice. I don't mean any disrespect to any of the other fine bowyers posting, I just don't have any personal experience with you. Hopefully that will change one day. Good luck with your bow Sticks-n-Strings !

[Diamondback59]

STIKS  GO TO HARBOR FIGHT THEY HAVE A 1100- 1400 HEAT GUN 14 BUCKS  BROCK

[Stiks-n-Strings]

harbor freight it is. I heated the crack up a little and put CA in it then done a little heating to straighten her some (used the Stove for heat)she looks a little better now. the only straightening I am gonna do now is in the handle and fade area and I think I am going to steam bend it per the instructions in the bowyers bible vol.1.
 This baby has got some awsome reflex/deflex in the limbs that is coming out natural at least I think it's awsome. I'll post some more pics later when I get a chance.
 
 Thanks for all the advice guys.

 Stay tuned more to come! Kris

[Osagetree]

PIC'S  

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I need to take some more pics and get them posted. to show my progress and get advice on a few things. I'll do that this week been real busy.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Alright... Up to speed.
Got her bending and stopped t odo some straightening, Got her about as straight as I want to get it but need to tweek on the tip a little cause they got some twist.
 
 here she is straightend out.. Used dry heat on limb areas and steam on handle area.
 
 
heres a side view, not a really good pic but it will do, Both limbs have a little reflex but the bottom needs a little more..

 

heres the rough handle shape
 

a couple of limb tips..
 

 

 how do you guys recommend I get the twist out of the tips (before or after some tillering)?
 
 Should I give her a little curve in tips or not I was thinking about just going longbow style on her with natural reflex in it.
 Gonna do some tip overlays and handle overlays that should turn out good.
 I'll post some pics of tillering for critique when I get a chance.
 Later Kris

[Stiks-n-Strings]

TTT