That bow is looking good son. She be a real looker  

Dano.....it really wasn't that tough keeping the skin centered, but it you notice, the pattern on those skins isn't real symmetrical and I think if it was it might be more difficult.

Mickey, I love shooting it when everything's feeling good.  It's a little heavy for me to shoot when my shoulder and back are mad at me ;-)

I think the shavings and dust in my shop are so deep you could actually do some carbon dating to tell the age of some of the layers of sawdust ;-)

George, just tell Eva your checkin the moisture content of the shaveings  :D  Course she's pretty smart, she may not beleive that one.

Doug, ya gotta sweep up at least once a year to find those lost tools.  

dano,
that just looks like fun! an open invite to all "yella booger affecio-natos," we're gonna be makin gold dust next saturday here in manhattan. bring yer chain saws and wedges an let's have at it! mick, timmo etal, out of staters invited too....    if ya wanna wait til real cuttin weather, JS is comin up in feb. and we're gonna harvest some more. i got my eye on some beuts!
dave

Sounds like a blast Dave, wish I could join ya's. It's a tuff time of year to get away. Pick some streight ones.

i got my "good-eye" on a few (20) so far, i still have to walk the other 1/2 of the fence row.    :D   the best part is, i can sit and look at it across the field from me! make sure no poachers get out there..... the stuffs only been there for about 50yrs, why would anyone bother it now? LOL if all goes according to plan, i'll be bringin some to mojam next time..
dave-gonnabesorerthanheckinaboutaweek-osbo
 

 If it was easy osage would be extinct.

nick,
all of the above and give "alan cohol" a call too, see if he wants to come along. that always helps take away the ache......    one week and counting and i can't wait. got the binos out every morning now checkin it out...LOL i hope those look as good on the inside as they do on the outside!

oh yeah, see if "alan" has a BFH we can use too. that helps drive those wedges in a little easier....  

Alan always brings his BFH don't he?  

seems like every time i go anywhere with alan i feel like i got hit in the head with one....!

got a question for you sage scrapers. I've got a 29" draw.

How much draw wieght could you realisticly get from Osage? W/WO backing.
Of course depending on backing material.

Man, you fellas do some really cool stuff with wood.

Thanks
P.S. Sorry, I don't mean to steal your thread.

Hutch  

Hutch, I think Rusty Craine Probably draws the heaviest bow made of osage I know without backing, and I think he's got a 28" draw. Osage is hell for stout.
http://stavestobows.homestead.com/Index.html

Dano, Rusty wa a true lightweight next to Ralph Borton. Ralph made and shot osage flat bows in the 100#-110# range. He has been to most of the Mojams but missed last year I think. One or two of Ralphs bows are on my awesome wooden bows site.In the last 10 pages or so if memory serves me.

Yep, I remember him and that bow everyone was trying to yank back. Just goes to show with the right design and workmanship about any wood can make a stout bow.

hutch,
you can't put me in with these MASTERS! and i do mean that. so far all i do is knock the trees down and split em up.... that's the easy part!    it's amazing what these guys do with that wood.
dave

All I can say is wow! yous guys are great. really been thinkin alot about makin my own. Thoughts go back an forth with makin a laminated bow, then I'll see one ah them snakey sticks. I think I'm gonna order that book from Dean Torges. Been checkin out ferret's page, and Jawges page, lotsa great info, but havin a hard time seein what you guys are talkin about sometimes without a chunk of wood in my hand. Any way I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, And God Bless

Hutch.  

We had a great day, thank you Hutch. I started with The Ferret's, Jawges and others advice, making board bows, then laminated, then selfbows from staves, they all have their merit and lessons to learn. I would still start with a board bow if I had it to over, they are the way to learn in my oppinion. We are here to help you, come on get after it   :D

Mickey,

How did Ralph come back from his shoulder surgery?  Haven't seen him in a few years now.

I started tillering this baby today, what an experience:knothead: It's starting to bend pretty well, all these humps and whop-de-does make it a little interesting to get a limb to bend nicely. It looks pretty good to me for the first go, so I thought I would quit for the night.



10" of draw with long string