This is a sister-stave to a bow I built for my wife a few months back. However, this one had some terrible laminar cracks, was a very narrow stave, and had a goofy whoop-dee-doo in the end I didn't really want to deal with. All in all, when I got down below the cracks, cut the goofy end off, and laid a bow out, I wasn't left with much choice but a bend through the handle bow of about 60" tip to tip. I got it bending on the long string pretty nicely, then I flipped the tips, induced some reflex, and straightened a little crook in one of the tips. Right now it's about 1 3/16" wide in the handle tapering to just over 3/8" at the tips. We'll see how it turns out.
Profile:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3774.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3780.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3779.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3781.jpg)
Aligning the tip:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3783.jpg)
lookin good so far, should be nice if it turns out for ya
Been going pretty slow with this bow, which is not my normal mode of operation. LOTS of heating, bending, aligning, etc. I've added a belly underlay at the tips to make them static, got the tip overlays put on, got it tillered good to 24" (will be 26" when finished). However, I ran into a goofy spot in one of the limbs that really required some attention. In short, it took a pretty severe amount of set. I decided to do a Dean Torges style patch, although I needed it to be a little longer than his version. So, I rigged up my plunge router as such with a compass and straight cut carbide bit:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3826.jpg)
I then rigged up a system to clamp my stave in place and provide an elevated bearing surface for my router base plate. I clamped the stave with just the slightest touch of reflex at the point where it took the undue set. When I glued the patch in, it forced the limb to take this same reflex, thereby correcting the set. You can also see that I elevated the pivot point of the compass bearing bit accordingly:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3821.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3825.jpg)
Next, I routed out the offending portion of the limb:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3823.jpg)
I then moved my router's pivot point out the width of the blade to cut the corresponding arc on the patch. I glued this quarter sawn piece of osage to the sacrificial surface using super glue. This allowed my to not use clamps or screws (neither of which would fit). I simply knocked it loose with a hammer once finished with the cut:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3827.jpg)
The mating surfaces, both exploded and clamped:
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3832.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3833.jpg)
Here's how the patch came out. It's not that pretty, but it did the trick and is tillering just fine through that section.
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3838.jpg)
(http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae321/isaacscr/Osage%20D%20Bow/HPIM3839.jpg)
Pretty cool Curt! :thumbsup:
Whole lot of work and equipment for that little stick of hedge! Knowing your work, it should look and bend good.
I remember a bow that Gary Davis made years ago. it must of had about 1/2 dozen or so patches in the limbs. Gary is a master at it!
Steve
looks good! cant wait to see it done!
Who say's you can't put it back if you take away too much LOL