Save a osage stave

[PASSTHRU2]

I got poor tiller and not enough weight on an osage self bow 2inches out from my draw length.  I dont want to pike and sinew the bow.  Question:  How hard would it be to back with bamboo.  How much weight will it give me.  Other options?  Thanks

[DVSHUNTER]

it's not hard to boo back it just takes time. It might add a few pounds. I helped a friend save a stave with boo. I think it added ten pounds. Good luck and post pics.

[DogVilleDane]

I agree with DVShunter, and I would like to suggest, that if you allready has tillered the bow, then you might want to actually "pre-tiller" the boo stave before glueing(!) ... Meaning, dont just "cut, grind and glue", but try to get the boo backing alone to bend in the correct curve (You can even prevent the worst hinges/flat spots by doing this "pre-tiller").

It will basically mean, that you wont have to remove so much Osage as you otherwise would, to get the correct tiller after glueing.

Any one else has experience with this? (I think I saw DutchWarbow doing it with this Boo/Boo bow as well - actually making a tiller before glueing).

[Eric Krewson]

I have done several rescues with bamboo. Thin it as thin as you can get it, glue it on with 3" of reflex and retiller. It has been my experience that you may gain 20# or more depending on how thick you leave your bamboo.

Don't know about pretillering bamboo because you will have a major tillering job anyway, may be a waste of time. When you flatten the back of the osage you are changing everything that was already tillered and starting from scratch.

[Silent Bear]

How long is your bow ? I would cut it shorter to add poundage

[Pat B]

You might consider adding a thin slat to the belly of each limb instead of reducing the back to add the boo. I did this on a 60" osage recurve just recently and it added just over 10# of draw weight.

[Pat B]

The bow I added the belly slats to is on page 2 near the bottom titled "Two Tips".

[PASSTHRU2]

Thanks.