I have a piece of osage that I can get maybe a 62" bow out of, but what I want to do is build one that is between 56" to 60" in length and finish up between 45-50 lbs to hunt with out of my blind.  I also want to build this in a trapizoid desige like Dean Troges suggest.  Can anyone offer starting layout deminsions and taper etc to accomplish this bow?

Thanks in advance
Charles

Gee Charles I'm not sure about advising you on a Torges trapezoid design cause I'm not really sure what that is.

You didn't say at what draw, but....

Depending on the osage (and going without sinew) at 58" NTN I'd probably do a bendy handled or semi bendy handled bow. If you have a 4" rigid handle and 3" of non bending fades (plus a couple inches on non bending tips) you'd better have your ducks in a row as far as tillering goes. Probably 1 1/8" wide tapering to 1/2" tips.If your draw is 28" or more a bow that short will tend to be strained and prone to string follow.

I'm not good enought to build those shorties with a rigid handle unless the wood is superior.

Just curious, why so narrow Micky? I was thinking 1 5/8"-1 3/4" wide. slightly bendy handle with 3/8" tips. I certainly don't understand the Torges Trap design. It might simply be best to email Dean and ask his advice on the matter. He's probably cooking something close to the computer and would answer pretty quick. LOL! That guy loves to cook! CK

I like skinny little bows Curtis      if it were mine I'd flip the tips a bit too...

1 1/4...1 3/8..1 1/2..they'd all work , and may even be better if the wood isn't primo. I just wouldn't want the limbs to get too thin belly to back which I think you would get with 1 5/8 to 1 3/4" wide limbs at only 45-50 pounds.

Oh yea, yea, yea, yea, let's flip them tips just a tad too! I like it better already! CK

Well I am drawing 27".  I think the final outcome of his design is more of a d shaped limb tapered from the fades to the tip.

I believe he's referring to Deans Facet tillering method guys..... Here's a link to my site which contains a tutorial showing how I do Deans Facet tillering as described in his book "Hunting the Osage Bow".......   "Bowyers Workshop"   the starting dimensions can be used with any length or weight bow and fine tuned to your tastes........ The thing I like best about facet tillering is it gets rid of most of the wood that's not going to make a bow and allows you to get quickly to floor tillering ...... Deans method is a process that ,once learned will give you consistent repeatable results......Good Luck...... Terry