Self Bow Q's...

[Pluck Yew]

Hi all, I'm working on a self bow and need opinions/advice..need to know if limbs will work with this much bend..and there is a knot in the lower limb I'm hoping isn't going to be a problem..

Shawn..

[**DONOTDELETE**]

You can take that out with heat.have to see the knot

[Pluck Yew]

mysticguido, I tried to post more pictures but was having trouble resizing...will try again..  

Shawn..

[Pluck Yew]

agian..

[longbowhntr]

Are you talking about the tips and the string not laying in the center of the handle? If so it should not be a problem if that is the back of the bow and you shoot right handed. What kind of wood is it? How about a pic of the knot.

Others might not agree with my thinking so you may want to see what they have to say.    

David

[Pluck Yew]

wood is osage..that is shot down the back of bow and I shoot right hand..bow is in bow blank stage right now. thought I'd ask a few questions before I wreck it...    

Shawn..

[Pat B]

What are your dimensions? You might be able to work the knot out or at least most of it as you reduce the limb. It looks like you violated a ring or 2 on the back near the knot. I would add super glue to the pithy parts of the knot before I went any further.
   Osage bends very easy with heat. I prefer a heat gun and oil.  It looks like most of the crook is at the handle anyway. I usually leave the handle area and the tips wide and thick until the bow is tillered. That way you can adjust a bit at the handle or tips by removing wood from one side or the other. Also it gives a place to "clamp" the stave without hurting the finished bow.

[longbowhntr]

Shawn,
It looks like the string will be laying on the left side of the handle which should be fine, I have a few that the string lays just outside the handle and still shoot fine to me, but some folks may think I'm just to lazy to heat the bow and center the string.

Now that knot looks pretty ugly. You probably should have left some wood on the outside of it, if you could have? But you might be ok to leave it thick and not bending where the knot is.

David

[Pluck Yew]

65" length..limbs 1 1/2" wide at handle..1 1/4" mid limb..3/4" wide at tips..1/2" deep at tips..1 1/8" deep at handle.. doesn't look like ring is compromised at knot..side view shows good 1/16"+/- all the way..

Shawn...

[Pat B]

At 1 1/2" wide you could reduce that width a bit on the side of the knot(1 3/8" to 1 1/4") and eliminate most of it and the rest shouldn't be a problem as long as the grain is OK. It looks like it is just a portion of the knot anyway. I would work down the limbs until you get to floor tiller, about 4" of bend in each limb then straighten the crook. Pat

[Pluck Yew]

Thanks all, I will narrow the limbs 1/8" each side..and work down thickness..was going to add rosewood and osage for shelf and tip over lays..should I do that now?..

Shawn..

[BigArcher]

Either now or later is fine for the overlays.  I do the overlays after I know I am going to have a shooter. I have done the overlays first and a couple of times I wished I could have the time and material back.
 I would steam the handle area to bring the tips more in line with the handle.
If your not trying to make a real strong bow the knot shouldn't be a problem.  It looks like the grain actually sweeps around the knot pretty well. If you had it to do again I would have followed that sweep on the other side of the bow from the knot and ended up with more working width in that area.
From looking at the pictures anyway.

BigArcher

[longbowhntr]

Shawn,
I think Pat means to take off wood on the side the knot only to get the knot gone from the limb. I would listen to him for sure.
I normally wait until it is shooting good before I put overlays on. As far as the shelf goes that the last thing I do before putting a finish on.

[Pluck Yew]

longbowhntr, ya know that crossed my mind..but were talking the whole length of the limb right?
(upper and lower need to be same width?)

   

Shawn..

[longbowhntr]

Right Shawn! I would go the whole limb, top and bottom just to make it look  better when finished, but they don't have to be the same width. I pretty much fly by the seat of my pants when I work on bows so don't let me steer you in the wrong direction sir. I sure don't consider myself a expert by no means so listen to these other guys.
One of my best shooting osage bows is only about an inch wide at the fade with a slooow taper to .5 inch tips so you should have plenty of wood. What draw length and weight are you wanting to get?
How far from the tip is the knot?

David

[Pat B]

I would take it off of both limbs to keep the tiller on both of the limbs the same. Osage doesn't mind a deep limb or radiused belly so by going narrower your limb will be a bit deeper.
   As I said before I prefer to leave the handle area and limb tips alone until the very last. As far as overlays and a shelf you won't need them until you are ready to shoot so why put the extra work into it now. If something goes wrong before the bow is tillered, and things do happen when dealing with wood bows, you haven't added more to your frustration level.
    Your main concern now is to reshape the limbs so the knot in minimized and then get the limbs bending evenly and together. Then you can add the purdies.  
   Most important...enjoy yourself!!!    Pat

[Pluck Yew]

Thanks agian guys, Dave I draw 26" and I am shooting for 50-55#..but would still be very happy with 40-45#.. knot is about 13" from tip..
Pat..I have about ten hours into the bow already..but I must say I entertain easy because I really enjoyed digging that out of that log I had..will post pictures when done good or bad..    

Shawn..

[Pat B]

Looking forward to seeing her when done.     Pat

[longbowhntr]

You got plenty of length for 26" draw so you should be able make weight with no problem. You can always cut an inch or so off the limbs to gain some weight back if you come in to light. Go slow and you will be ok.
Do like Pat said and get the limbs bending evenly and have fun.
You might want to post pictures as you go to get input with tiller if this is your first. Besides we can all learn something from watching.

Good luck sir!

David

[Pluck Yew]

Okey-Dokey..re-tappered limbs..took more wood off...floor tilllered..tree tillered...shot bow briefly..added some over-lays (modest)...pic's to follow..(have to use another puter for that)..Question is I got heat gun but not sure how to use it to straighten bow...if some one could clue me in I would appericiate it...
  :confused:  

Shawn..