Christmas Exchange Bow fro Primitive Archer

[Pat B]

Why do I do this to myself?  I chose this stave to build a bow for the Primitive Archer Christmas Exchange, due by early January. As you can see it has a few issues but nothing too bad. I already put about 2 hours into where it is now. My one main concern is the kink in one limb. There is a bit of prop twist but I will get rid of that when I reflex it. Now it holds about 1 1/2" of deflex.
  I am going to document the whole process and I'm open to any suggestions as to deal with the kink.
So here it is...
 
 
 
 
 

[KellyG]

Ok pat B,
here is the only advise I have, put the skin back on that snake and let it go.
Kelly

[J. Holden]

I'll be interested to see how this one turns out.  We have faith in you Pat!

-Jeremy  

[Jack Denbow]

Pat, you da man.    
Jack

[2treks]

Pat, My fovorite selfbow to date is one that I made with Gary Davis a number of years ago(10+).
It was a small in diamiter log,about 5-6". and was worse of than the one you show. after I chased a ring and layed out the bow,Gary worked his magic with the band saw and steam tube. I followed it up with a number of heat gun treatments to get some more shape to the bow. After alot of work it was fasioned into a 68" eastern woodland style bow with about 2" of reflex. After MANY arrows it still holds about 1 1/2"+ reflex and shoots great. gary worked the other half of the log into a bow blank and a friend now shoots that. The ugly ones are a challenge but you are the man for the job,Your bows look great and I can't wait to see this one when finished.good job.

[Pat B]

Thanks Chuck. I wish I had Gary helping me on this one. d;^)   I really enjoy working on these challenging staves even if they don't work out. They are great teachers.
  A few years ago a friend gave me 3 osage "staves". They has every malady known to bowyers and probably should been used for fuel. I spent all winter working on them and by spring I had 5 shooter bows. Some pretty light in draw weight but all tillered well and all shot well. I learned more that winter than I did the almost 20 years before. Sometimes you just have to take the what you've got and do what you can. I think that winter I did make a silk purse out of 3 sows ears!

[DanaM]

That kink could be trouble, looks like getting the tips to line up may be the biggest issue. In my limited experience you can only straighten a kink so much before the wood rebels. Glad to see the Christmas Trade is on again this year, to bad I won't get to see any of the fine gifts.

[NTD]

Pat,
I'm sure you'll pull it off.  You've got way more patience and courage than I though  

Dana,
I'm out of the loop on what happened but I miss seeing you over there.  Give me a call sometime. I think I have something you might like too if you want another lizard skin...:-)

[razorback]

Pat, like Dana said that kink looks troubling. Can you bend the straight parts above and below it in the other direction to bring the tip into line. This would save stressing the kink. You obviously know more than I do but was just thinking this might work.
Tony

[hova]

thats what i was thinking rzor , get as much of it straightened  , then bend the other side to even it up and make it look like you planned it that  way...


i love the way that stave looks.

-hov

[Pat B]

I pulled a string from tip to tip and it runs inside the handle area to one side. When I add the reflex I will straighten the limbs out somewhat and remove some of the twist. Like I said before this will take quite a few sessions to get it where it needs to be. I won't try to straighten out the kink. It is too sharp of a bend but I will try to get it to work with the rest of the limb.
  I will probably have to deside from time to time which way to go and see where that takes me before decising what to do next. This is basically how I like to build bows anyway...let the wood tell me what it wants to be.

[4est trekker]

I love the kink!  Can't wait to see the progress, Pat!  You'll get a bow out of it for sure.

[hova]

Originally posted by 4est trekker:
I love the kink!

o.O
____


-hov

[hova]

Originally posted by 4est trekker:
I love the kink!

o.O
____

-hov

[Pat B]

I cut the stave to shape and reduced the limb thickness to about 5/8". Because of the extreme bends and twists I chose to work on one limb at a time and a lkittle at a time. Here is the stave before the initial straightening.
 
 

During the heating and clamping...
 
 

and after it cooled and was unclamped. Now remember this is the first of probably many sessions.
 
 

[DVSHUNTER]

Pat,
 That's a fine start. I usually don't heat my staves with that much meat on them, but it looks like you know what your doing. ;-)  I'm with you on the difficult staves. I normally sell all my best staves and keep the bad stuff for myself. After you turn those crazy things into bows you don't remember the repeated heatings and hours of extra labor... Or they break! Haha. I have always wanted to make an S bow like the one that won the bow of the year a few years ago on PA's website. Your would be a good canidate. Good luck and can't wait to see the finished bow.

[Pat B]

I might be changing my directions on this bow and only take the deflex out and a bit of the twist and begin tillering. See where that takes me.
  I usually do some of my initial straightening with the limbs this thick(5/8") After I do a bit of correcting on the other limb I will begin to step down the thickness in small incriments and get her to bending. This helps to keep me on track and not get in a rush.
  I'm not sure how the kink will react so I'll take that limb real slow. That form I am using on the limbs has a gradual bend so it is easy on the bending.
  I can't wait to see the finished bow either! d;^)

[DanaM]

Pat it looks like it responded nicely in that session, slow and steady eh.

[Pat B]

You got it Dana, especially with this one. Heading down to the basement now to work on the kinked limb.

[Pat B]

Did a bit of heating on the kinky limb mainly to add reflex but I also took out the hump at the kink. There is still a dog leg left but that will be part of the character of the bow. Tillering begins soon.
Here is the bimb clamped to the form after heating.