I will post a step-by-step trial-and-error on the Bowyer's Bench, but thought I'd first post a couple pics here of my favorite go-to bow, the 'Green Machine' Pronghorn of which I am at least the fourth owner. I've long wanted to put snake skins on it, but lacked the guts to start the project. Finally I just decided to go for it and here are the results.
Okay this first picture shows the bow before working on it. Actually loved the dark green laminate riser, but felt the limbs were a hair bright or gaudy. That having been said, there were hundreds of times I held it out in front of me in the early fall woods and it blended perfectly.
(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/06BWLAllardnoblood.jpg)
Still, I wanted something different and felt a snakeskin was the answer. So I got a couple prairie rattler skins from former Nebraskan Shedrock (thanks, Tracy!) and followed a tutorial from TradGang and frequent advice from TG'ers, and here's the result.
(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0803.jpg)
(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0791.jpg)
Here it is alongside another beautiful Herb Meland Pronghorn bow with Curly Ash limbs.
(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0794.jpg)
(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o94/WaryBuck/IMG_0798.jpg)
I'm pleased with the results and wish I'd tackled the project sooner. I think I was able to match the skins and finish to the riser, and also get a camouflage pattern and cool factor I could get no other way. Thanks, TG'ers, for the help.
Excellent job! You made a beautiful bow even more beautiful. It came out great.
I have a Tiger Maple Pronghorn and am trying to get the time and courage to put a beautiful Bull Snake skin on her. The colors match the bow perfectly.
That Buck's awesome BTW! :thumbsup:
Very nice! Hap
Nice job! I love skins on a bow.
Nice job, Bryce!
That looks real sharp!! Joe
excellent work, man you kill some nice bucks!
Great job Bryce! turned out real nice :thumbsup:
Looks great! Nice job.
Like it!
Greens my favorite color but, man that bow looks sharp with the skins added! Congrats on a great job. :thumbsup: :clapper:
See! Even slightly faded out they turned out awesome. Good on you for following your instinct!
WB, nice bow and all that stuff, but the body on that deer is sick! That looks like a deuce and a quarter or more...Wow!
~CB
That sure is a purty bow and great job on the skins!!!!
Looks very sharp!!
Very nice, good for you for taking the plunge.
Look's sharp Bryce, you did a fine job! :thumbsup:
I have a green Pronghorn coming soon. I need to find me a couple nice skins for it. That really looks goooood!
Nice job Bryce!
Looks great!
Man, that is sweet looking!!
Nathan
:thumbsup: Great job! Looks really good!
:thumbsup:
Excellent!
Nicely done Bryce!!! :thumbsup:
I think it is a definite improvement. Looks Great!
Big fan of the snake skins. Job well done!
That looks good !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice work, I want to do that with a few of mine. Did you use tite-bond for the glue-up?
Tite Bond III. Thanks for the compliments. Just really posted to show the makeover as the bow had a little bit of notoriety to it to begin with (I'm at least the fourth--and last--owner). But also to say that if I can do it, anyone can. I did put some black paint on the limbs before glue-up which I felt would help turn the snakeskin's look more 'green' or 'olive' if that's possible. There's some black in the riser laminations...and I got lucky as it turned out exactly how I envisioned. I'm pretty sure, though, that I used up all of 2011's "luck" in getting this to work for me, and the seasons haven't even started. :) Anxious to spill some blood with this now.
Prairie Rattlers have a nice green tint to them. I wonder what your limbs would look like if you didn't paint them?? I put Prairie Rattlers over Osage and it turned out great. Over Maple they look great too.
I'm thinking too how they would have looked with the green. Butttttttttttttttt those prairies look awsome. My favorites and definately look great on your bow.
God bless you, Steve