Author Topic: ERC question  (Read 1611 times)

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Offline Scallorn

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ERC question
« on: May 20, 2017, 10:27:15 pm »
I have an ERC stave about 76 inches long by about 1 and 1/2 inches wide with a 50/50 heart/sap ratio. Will this make an English longbow? It's almost flawless

Offline gfugal

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2017, 11:01:55 pm »
I imagine it should if you keep it long
Greg,
No risk, no gain. Expand the mold and try new things.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2017, 09:18:48 am »
Id suggest rawhide backing.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Scallorn

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2017, 12:18:41 pm »
I've been told that you have to tiller erc slower otherwise it can explode. Is a rawhide back completely necessary? I was hoping to go for a low stress cross section and not have to back it

Offline Pat B

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2017, 05:36:44 pm »
Keep as much sapwood on the back and be very careful around any knots or pins. Although rawhide backing isn't necessary it is very good insurance.  ;)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2017, 05:44:54 pm »
Keep as much sapwood on the back and be very careful around any knots or pins. Although rawhide backing isn't necessary it is very good insurance.  ;)

+1 and I'll add that if it were me, I'd start wide, like 2" wide and thick. I'm finishing up an ERC ALB that pulls 50# right now. It's backed with goat rawhide (dries clear), is 2" wide out of the fades to mid limb and it's around 3/4" thick out of the fades tapering from there. With ERC it seems to take a lot more wood than with a high density wood to do the job. But that's okay cause it's light as a feather!

Good luck!
"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

Nigerian Proverb

Offline Mo_coon-catcher

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2017, 06:34:07 pm »
And a coat of sinew REALLY seems to stiffen up ERC if you end up coming out a bit under weight. I've gt a ELB roughed out of ERC for about a year now that I've gotta finish shaping and start bending. My plan was to leav it with a sapwood back, leaving it flat and heavily rounding the belly to take some strain off he back. Sknce t seems so weak in tension compared to compression. My stave is similar dimensuons. I might make it one of my next bows I work on to see for myself how well it works unbacked.

Kyle

Offline loon

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2017, 01:00:48 am »
If you follow this series, Dave Mead shows how to make a pretty narrow longbow out of ERC.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONesRn82OYE

gutpile

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2017, 02:02:02 pm »
personally I would back it.. especially if you are wanting over 50 lbs draw weight..gut

Offline PatM

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2017, 08:36:56 pm »
Marc St Louis posted a heavy ERC warbow that was unbacked.

Offline DC

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2017, 09:57:14 am »
Yeah but Marc can make a silk purse out of a sows ear ;D

gutpile

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2017, 12:05:55 pm »
Yeah but Marc can make a silk purse out of a sows ear ;Dention.......haha

for the work that goes in one, not to mention how hard it is to find a clean stave, its not a bad idea to back ERC.. tiller has to be spot on perfect for a hunting weight bow unbacked... gut

gutpile

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Re: ERC question
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2017, 01:25:54 pm »
as for tillering slower.... I'd say no... cause ERC tills fast..wood is so soft, I tilled mine with sandpaper.. gut