Winter project #1 (TG trade bow)

[Pat B]

I thought I'd start a thread for this bow even though it is in the Bow Trade thread.
  This bow started out as a 2" diameter osage pole(sucker) that Mike McGuire gave me at the Tenn Classic two years ago. Mike cut it less than a month before. After I had it for a few weeks I sawed it down the middle, put spacers between the two halves and bound them back together.
 Last winter I unbound then. Both halves stayed pretty straight but did get a little reflex. I gave half to Keenan at last years Classic and decided to use my half for the TG bow trade.
 This is what it looked like last week...
 

 

 Well, I started tillering the stave and have it bending with about 8" of tip movement. One limb has a slight dog leg, a knot near by and a bit of reflex. The other limb is relatively straight. Because of the dog leg, knot and uneven reflex in the one limb I decided to add even reflex(almost recurves) to both tips. So I clasmped the tip to the form...
 

...add some oilve oil and held the heat gun to it until gravity began to do its work. When it began to fall I helped it down and clamped the limb to the form. Another clamp was needed near the curve so I heated it a bit more and clamped it...
 

 

 

  I'll take it out of the form and post pics of the results later.

[Roy from Pa]

Nice Pat, never thought about the gravity deal.. Guess that tells ya when the wood is hot enough to bend.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Boy Pat My bow sure is looking Sweet!   :D

 Or did the Ol'Man Roy draw my name    

[Pat B]

Kris, I think Roy got your name. He said he had something special for you! d;^)
 Yeah Roy. It is a good indicater of when the wood is ready to bend.

[JSMOFFITT03]

Pat ,  looks awsome!  Is that belly split or saw cut?

[Pat B]

The pole was sawn down the middle with a bandsaw. I was sure the pole was straight and with no twists before I sawed it.
  I got her off the form. Looks pretty good but will need some alignment but I won't be sure until first low brace.  Here she is...
 

 

 

[SportHunter]

Are you using the sapwood as the back? I have a nice and straight 8' x 3" -3.5" osage pole that I'll be using in the future and wasn't sure of how to proceed. Whats the best course of action, decrown, take it down to heartwood or use the sapwood back? I've read sapwood can be ok with these thin poles but before digging in I'd rather seek out tips before ruining the material.

[Pat B]

As long as you know the sapwood is sound it works fine on these pole bows. I knew when this wood was cut and how it was handled until I got it so all I did was remove the bark and seal the back.
  If you are not sure about the sapwood remove it and chase a heartwood ring. There is a lot of tension on the back of these bows because of the high crown, with the tension stresses concentrated mostly along the crown. Osage heartwood can surely take these stresses. Sap wood can also if it is sound. At 3 1/5" in diameter you will have to remove the sapwood unless you want a 200#@28" bow! d;^)
  I have never decrowned a bow stave and see no reason to do so unless you are going to add a rigid backing.
  When you split your pole be sure to secure the halves to a form or they may take too much reflex and twist. I would rather add the reflex I want then depend on natural reflex.
  What I did is sawed the pole in half, added spacers between the 2 halves and bound them back together. This allows air circulation around each half plus let the two keep each other from twisting and taking backset.

[Roy from Pa]

Well stickers, I did get your name. So today I glued up 1,000 tooth picks with smooth on. Glued the bow into a 6 inch set shape. Should spit an arrow out around 40 fps:) Gonna put on poplar wood tip over lays and a yellow pine riser. Gonna stain it with black shoe polish paste too. Nutten but the best for you son:)  

[Pat B]

After she cooled a bit I put her back on the tree and pulled to about 8" of tip movement. Tiller looks pretty good to me so far.
 

[SportHunter]

Thanks for the tips Pat. I cut this myself and sealed the ends so it should be in great shape. Needs to dry some more though, just looking for what direction to go with it before hacking into it. It was too straight to leave on the long downed tree it was growing out of. One side is branchless & the other has several small branches. I may be able to get two bows out of this, one clean & one notty.

[razorback]

Pat,
That is looking real sweet. The contrast between sap and heart wood should look great and if you are able to keep the center line dark wood that will add great character. **** will be well pleased with it; oh look I spell my name with 4*'s  

[Pat B]

RB, near the handle there is still a void where the pith was. About 3/16" wide and deep. Yeah, I love the colors and knots in the belly. I wish it were mine! d;^)

[tenbrook]

What a special bow someone is going to receive.

Very cool!

[DVSHUNTER]

That looks pretty cool pat. Ive got two sapwood bows ready to work and this might get me moving on em. I love the looks of these bows. I csnt wait to see yours.

[Pat B]

Thanks guys. She's coming along good. I haven't braced her yet. She is about 50# at the draw I posted. Once I can brace her and see how the string tracks I'll be able to expedite the process a bit. She's bending so evenly it is mostly long scrapes that I'm doing. Get a little weight off, exercise her good, take a good look, take a little wood off, exercise her...you know the drill.
  Time for a little lunch and back to the shop.

[Pat B]

I finally got her braced today. Things are lined up pretty good. The string blends in with the belly but if you look close you can see it...
 

 

...and pulled to 23"(@50#)...
 

[Tom Leemans]

sexy

[Roy from Pa]

Very nice, Pat.

[Jorgy]

Lookin' good.That osage is pretty wood.