Ozbow

I worked as an archaeologist in Queensland many years ago. There was anecdotal evidence that the bow was known throughout different groups but it would seem the lack of a decent bow wood was the main reason it wasn't taken up. So we will never really know. I'm sure someone may have fiddled with it b...

I remember a movie I was watching years ago. It was some sort of survival thing and one of the blokes had a bow. It took me a few minutes to figure it out but it was a recurve strung backwards. I don't remember him actually shooting any arrows. Anyway it suddenly went back to the right way on the ne...

performance would be squeezing as much out of it as you can. The unbacked spotted gum bows I've made maxxed out at about 20 pounds. This was about 1800 long and a basic pyramid shape from about 50mm at the fades and 20mm at the nock. Incorrect stringing could misaligning the nocks, or using the wron...

For what its worth.
All the osage I have has very distinctive growth lines , regardless of the thickness and pin knots from the spikes. Very old osage will go purple. But osage was very popular for fence posts. There is still a lot of feral osage in northern NSW.

No stave out of them so I followed the TBB v4 on a wooden lam bow with bamboo backing. Worked great

The large ones have good rings. The small one will go straight to 4 mm laminations for an all wood laminated bow.

Just wanted to show off my latest osage haul. Got it up along the Mac interested River. Bloody hard work to get it but I am hoping that it was worth it.

Thanks Steve. I am just cutting some up today. I may even get a stave out of it. Wait and see

Hey All, I have a stack of osage wood that is too cracked to use as a stave. Is it possible to cut them into 3 or 4 mm strips, glue them together and then use it as a normal stave? I was also thinking of trying the same with some she oak I have as well. What does everyone think? Would th3 or 4mm do?...

I've stripped the back off and reduced the bow to about 55 lb. The chrysal isn't a chrysal but a split . So I am still looking at a fix.
Wait and see.

20151011_124911.jpg This is my 60inch 70lb Osage bow. My original plan was to build a circa 50lb bow. It is 60 inches because that was the straightest bit I got off the tree. But I misread the scale and finished it up. However it developed a chrysal about half way up the upper limb which I strapped...

My Osage split all over the place. It was twisted and bent. I am in the final stages of my first osage bow after steaming and straightening. I'm heading up the in laws in a couple of weeks to grab some more. Hopefully they will be straighter.

They are a pest along the MacIntyre River in NSW

I brought back a few seed balls from my in laws place near Inverell. I planted a few just to see what happens. But it is easier to go up there and help myself. She hates the things and they are all along her river bank

Yep iwas glad for the tractor. I carried the first piece up but Ii was really worried about getting the othertwo up. It took both of us to load them

The first piece is twisted. It was hard to tell on the tree. I was only there one day so didn't have a chance to check out all the trees. Apparently they infest along a great part of the MacIntyre river. I saw one on the banks of the Severn River but in Kwianambal National Park. I'mnot joking when I...

Hey All, I did a search for osage in NSW and found a DPI map showing infestations. Apparently it is a pest in NSW, with the worst being near Inverell. Well I was visiting my in laws last week who live in that area and I asked the old girl if she had heard of Osage orange? Of course she hadnt. I trie...

Hmm, I'm a bit lost. The address I saw was Dixon Rd Yatala. The street view clearly shows a large warehouse.

Interesting report Darryl
He was right about Tassle Oak though.
Also, I thought his product sheets were fairly comprehensive..

Haha,
I was hoping to avoid that, but you may be right.

Hey all, Has anyone used small strips of bamboo (5mm or so) as a backing? I have huge lengths in my yard 6 metre plus but not wide enough for a single backing so I was wondering if the bamboo was split and glued onto the back of the bow. To me it would not be that different from using flax or simila...

Hey all, anyone know about this mob?
http://mattheitimbers.com.au/species/
They list lemonwood and ipe.
Cheers

I have put the yew away. I am not comfortable they will work. I have some spotted gum left over from my boat restoration and some red oak in the shed. So I think I will stay with them with maybe yew risers. :biggrin: Anyway. If I use a standard longbow design and cut it in half(allowing for the hand...

I have taken some better pics I've made a few bows but not take down on spliced. Can someone suggest a good layout for a takedown bow? I have out the mating ends off an old Trampolene frame and squeezed them into an oval shape for the joint. But I am not too sure about the bow layout. I am looking a...

Thanks Daryl.
There is a Bunnings near here I will try that

This is an example of the timber
With pole bamboo, where is the best place to source it?
I live near Newcastle.
Cheers

thanks All But I cut a couple of slices off both chunks and the rings look like a contour map of the Blue Mountains. the timber is beautiful but no good for bows. It will make a lovely decorative piece for the boat I am restoring. Oh well. But thanks f the info an splicing that will come in VERY han...

\ Thanks that very helpful.
I just have to figure out if the bow needs backing
cheers

Hey all
I have been given 2 big chunk s of Yew.
they aren't long enough for bows so I need to splice two bits together.
Are there any special requirements for splicing and for Yew bows?
cheers

I was thinking that. I nppose I can try.