Main Discussion Area > Bows
Small diameter maple
WhistlingBadger:
--- Quote from: Pat B on November 22, 2022, 12:40:09 pm ---I've only decrowned a few bows but if you do be sure the grain lines run parallel with the limbs and do back it with rawhide. If you leave the crown high be sure you make the belly flat.
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I've never done a high crown/flat back bow, so that might be fun. All of mine have been the opposite. Actually I did do a lenticular cross section juniper bow once, but it broke.
Aksel:
I usually work with small diameter elm, up to 2 inches dia and they make great bows with high back/ flat belly, almost impossible to break in tension. I have also made a couple from maple but the most successful ones I had decrowned. It is a little trickier to follow the very vague semi-ring porous grain on maple but I donīt believe decrowning is a rocket science. Maple is very easy to work and it splits nicely compared to elm. Enjoy
WhistlingBadger:
--- Quote from: Aksel on November 28, 2022, 02:05:11 pm ---I usually work with small diameter elm, up to 2 inches dia and they make great bows with high back/ flat belly, almost impossible to break in tension. I have also made a couple from maple but the most successful ones I had decrowned. It is a little trickier to follow the very vague semi-ring porous grain on maple but I donīt believe decrowning is a rocket science. Maple is very easy to work and it splits nicely compared to elm. Enjoy
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If I decrowned I would back it, either with rawhide or with some sort of fibers, since I don't quite trust my decrowning technique. Anyway, I believe that would give me more margin of error.
Pat B:
WB, if you decrown properly with the grain lines running parallel with the limbs you shouldn't need to add a backing. Rawhide, linen or silk backing might give you more confidence in the build and won't hurt a thing.
WhistlingBadger:
--- Quote from: Pat B on November 28, 2022, 06:57:24 pm ---WB, if you decrown properly with the grain lines running parallel with the limbs you shouldn't need to add a backing. Rawhide, linen or silk backing might give you more confidence in the build and won't hurt a thing.
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That's a pretty big "if" though...ha ha ha
If I get one built, I'd like to try backing it with dogbane/Indian hemp fiber. It's a weed around here, very plentiful, and it makes crazy strong yarn when reverse wrapped. I think it would make an amazing bow backing applied sinew-style...We'll see how things go.
Thanks for the wisdom, everybody.
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