How to make a Molegabet inspired Osage Orange Bow

[@tminefski]

Awesome! I'm building the same layout plan that you found on line. Pretty excited about it. I'm working with shag bark hickory. Would liked to have seen more of the tillering process. (this is my fifth attempt with two shooters under my belt). Loving my new addiction!

[@BowtellBows]

Thank you and welcome to the club! Shag bark hickory is amazing wood and I hope it turns out for you. I will try to show the tillering process more in an upcoming video.

[@DreamcraftBows]

Great work man! Sweet looking piece of wood!

[@BowtellBows]

Thanks!

[@DanSantanaBows]

Been a long time since I’ve made a molly. Looks great in osage. Nice bow Bowtell!

[@BowtellBows]

Thanks! I think I will make the outer limbs thinner next time though.

[@maryfrederickson9400]

Beautiful!

[@BowtellBows]

Thank you!

[@joeytheetge9268]

Nice work not bad. So you asked if anyone wanted you to try some other bow wood. Well how about honeysuckle wood. It's hard to find that is big enough but you should try it.

[@BowtellBows]

Thank you. Honeysuckle wood sounds like an adventure. I will see if I can get my hands on some. I appreciate the suggestion!

[@michaelwagner4451]

Gute Arbeit, schöner Bogen, aber leider kein Holmegard. Das ist ein Möllegabet Bogen, Jungsteinzeit 5500 Jahre v.Chr. also gute 2500 Jahre jünger als der Holmegard und die Fundorte liegen auch einige hundert Kilometer auseinander, in Dänemark.

[@BowtellBows]

Very good point. I looked into this a little more and made the appropriate updates to my title and thumbnail. Danke

[@Leo-hk6qg]

I've heard people say they prefer plum over osage, and by people I mean Primitive Archer posts from about a decade ago. Haha, but I have seen a few nice bows out of plum, with high poundages for their length. Not a very available wood though. If you do ever work with fruitwood; if the trees were from farms treated with pesticides the dust will be extra toxic because of the pesticide compounds the tree has absorbed, so don't use that kind of wood.

[@BowtellBows]

I have heard the same about plum but agree that it is hard to get a hold of. Most fruit wood has been quite twisted when I split it but maybe I will find a nice semi straight stave some day and do a comparison over my Osage bows. Thanks for the comment!

[@errolstanding8483]

Wished I had a batch of Osage like that! I pay $200 for 1 premium stave.!

[@BowtellBows]

I know what you mean! I am lucky enough to have in-laws living in Kansas that were able to get me on some land to harvest my own a little bit ago. My wife says I have a bow stave problem but I just say I have a bow stave storage problem. It was a 14 hour drive there but conveniently, we were already going there for Thanksgiving. I think I came out with about 14-16 usable staves and a couple billets. If you have the chance to harvest your own, it is quite the experience.

[@joedaniels4646]

Hey here is a guest on for you, what length do you make your strings for a Mollegabet, or Holmegaard Bow? Do you make it 3 or 4 inches shorter than nock to nock??? Wondering what kind of brace height you aim for ... Thanks, and God bless!

[@BowtellBows]

That is a great question. I really should measure the string but I always aim for a brace height between 6.5”-7” for my bows. When I make the final string, I measure the length based off of my tillering string so it is exactly the length I tillered to. Hope that helps and thank you!

[@joedaniels4646]

@@BowtellBows Cool, thank you, that does help ...

[@jimathybindlenim6359]

How fast was it?

[@BowtellBows]

I averaged 166 fps with about a 9 grain/lb arrow.

[@jimathybindlenim6359]

@@BowtellBows nice

[@michaelwagner4451]

This Toller ist not good