TG BOW SWAP 2011 (pics and post)

[fish n chicks]

Home renovation is almost there. Moved about a quarter of our stuff in. New garage door and opener come next. Then, wood shavings. Man it can't come soon enough sometimes.

Hope my guy like's green....

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Well I been working on my trade bow but I got a problem.

 I have a new computer with windows 7 and I am having all kinds of problems uploading pics to a server.

 Any advice? Stiks

[KellyG]

Stiks I have window 7 on mine and have not had any issue useing photo bucket or flicker. What is the issue?

[KellyG]

Just off a whim it could be explore settings

[Pat B]

I'm getting almost done with tillering. She pulls 50#@26" now and the tips are lined up well. I put about 25 shots through her yesterday and am pleased with the results.
  I still have to reduce the weight a few more pounds. I'm not sure if I will give her a heavy heat treating or not. Might just set the reflex a bit but I'm still trying to decide.
  I have an idea for her dress-up too. I'll be playing with one of them to see how practical it will be and how well it will work out.
  I'll try to get some pics out soon.

[KellyG]

It appears that the building has stalled.

[AKmud]

I have my zebrawood/black phenolic handle glued up to the cherry on attempt number 2...  I have to get over to my dads place to work out my hickory backing strip on his planer.  Things should start moving pretty quickly after I finish the glue up.  Hopefully I can make weight this time!

[Dave Bowers]

Originally posted by KellyG:
It appears that the building has stalled.

Yeah mine is all tillered and just waiting finishing. I put down for a bit to take my time. I want it to come out a best as it can. Plus it helps me with my patience while bow building.

[red hill]

Here's a question for the osage bowyers.  

I harvested an osage tree in December.  The log provided 5 staves.  I selected the one that appeared to be the least desirable and started working it down after about 4 weeks.

Now that I am attempting to chase a ring, the stave appears to be twisting and curving. I suspect this is from drying and it is understandable.  

My question is in regards to the length of an osage bow.  The stave is around 76" long and 3-4" wide for most of that length.  TBBI recommends a 63" bow for my 26" draw length.  

Could I go shorter?
Maybe leave the limbs a little wider than I had planned?

I'm using this stave as practice while I allow the better staves to season more thoroughly for my attempted TG swap bow.

Thanks,
Stan  

[scrub-buster]

My stave is ruined.  It split like crazy.  It was cut a year and a half ago.  It was a belly split and the back was never sealed.  I took it down to the growth ring above the one that I wanted a week or two ago.  I didn't think I would have to seal it since it was never sealed from the beginning, and it only had one small crack on one end.  Anyway, I took it out to work on it today, and this is what I found.

 

 

Oh well.  It will make some fine firewood.  Back to the beginning.  Luckily I have some emergency osage.

 

I split it into 3 staves.  They are all 84" long, so I have plenty to work with.

 

2 are straight and clean, and one has some character near the center.

 

[John Scifres]

Scrub-buster,

Osage holds its moisture like crazy.  I'm not sure but it looks to me like that stave just dried really quick all of a sudden.  Did you bring it from outside to inside?  Indoor air is real dry around here this time of year.  Like 30-40% RH or even less.  You should see the floating door panels on my cabinets.  They have shrunk by 3/8".  

If you take a green stave down to a ring, seal it or get it down to floor tiller quickly.  I bet you can still make a bow out of it.  Keep the checks as close to the center as possible and wrap where they run off.  Good luck with the reserve cache.

I haven't started in earnest on my trade bow yet.  I have some great ideas and a cool piece of wood though.

[scrub-buster]

John,
     That stave is 1 1/2 years old.  It has been inside since the day I cut it.  It was a belly split off of another stave.  The ends were sealed, but the back never was.  All I did was remove two growth rings and it did this.  I am not going to try to make a bow out of it.  The entire thing has splits all over it.  It had to be from moisture escaping.  I stopped and bought a new can of shellac to use.

[longbowhntr]

Originally posted by KellyG:
It appears that the building has stalled.

I've been real busy with stuff,mostly work so far but think I have finally picked out the stave for the trade (but then I thought that with the other two also    ) Have it down to the ring above the one I want and have began to get it shaped out. Like John S. said have a few ideas I'm thinking of trying on this stave but we'll see.

I have been taking a few pics just have not got them down loaded. I was kinda waiting to make sure this stave was going to work out.

David

[formerbutcher]

To bad scrub-buster, but atleast you have more to work, i'm hopping to get in some shop time this weekend, been to busy workin the last to weeks.

I'll try and get some pics up Sunday  

[4est trekker]

Red Hill: Depending on how good your stave, design, and tillering are, you can easily get a 26" draw from an unbacked 60" stave.  However, the shorter your stave gets the better all of the above have to be. Leaving it wider is a good choice.  I've always favored a bit longer bow than needed, but have built a couple in the 59-60" range for my 26" draw.  If you're wanting to build a bow to practice your skills, then I'd suggest leaving it longer than necessary.  I'd even start at 68" and see where that gets you.  If you come in under weight, pike it.  If you come in dead on, you could still shorten it, retiller, and drop the weight.  

Lastly, December until now isn't very long for that osage to dry out.  You're experiencing that in the form of twisting.  Rough out the bow, get it floor tillered, and then seal it with shellac, lacquer, etc. Give it some time to fully dry and then tiller your bow out.  

Hope that helps.  Just my humble opinion.

[Keenan]

Just got back from being gone for a week, The sinewed stave is looking good. Real nice sweeping reflex. Try to get some pics up soon. Got home to a bunch of snow!  :eek:

[GREG IN MALAD]

Originally posted by KellyG:
It appears that the building has stalled.

It's not stalled here. I have my second bow built, the sealer/filler coats are on and it's headed into the spray booth this weekend.

[Osagetree]

I'll get back to it after GORH. Had to build a few for that event first.

[Pat B]

All I lack is to get a few pounds off  , then get her dressed up for the prom. The bow is coming along well too! d;^)

  I wrenched my back the other day so I'm giving it a good rest before I get back to the bow building.

[fish n chicks]

Moving in this weekend! Last things are the kitchen cabinets and tiling the bathrooms.

Did I ever tell you guys I hate renovations? lol

This bow will be a challenge for me cause my guy shoots OFF THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BOW.      I haven't made a lefty yet so this should be interesting. Hopefully, in about 2 weeks, i'll have pics of the progress. Keep em coming guys!