Juniper/Sinew early tillering. What do you think?

[WhistlingBadger]

It lives!
https://youtube.com/shorts/75Vx66IUVdg

[bjrogg]

Nice job Mr Badger

Bjrogg

[Hamish]

Yep, It looks real good. Well done.

[superdav95]

Ya that looks and sounds like a sweet shooter.  Well done indeed. 

[pierce_schmeichel]

OK, got it to full draw and it didn't explode!  Got my heart pumping--I just knew it was going to blow up on me.  But not a snap, crackle, or pop.  Think I finally figured out how to get sinew to stick--maybe that fiasco with the dogbane last year wasn't a complete waste.

I'm a little disappointed that it came in at only 42#, so probably not powerful enough to hunt elk.  Can't just add another layer or two of sinew, because I decided to put the snake skin on it before I tillered it...dumb.
 
For all that, I'm pretty tickled though.  Limbs are nice and even, I really like the bend, and man, does it look sweet.  Going to go put a few arrows through it and see how it shoots. 

Then I'm going to have to build another one...I still have one more decent juniper stave, a big pile of sinew, and I'm sure I have another bull snake skin around here somewhere.

Hey you might be surprised with the power of sinew and juniper. It may shoot an arrow faster than you think. The draw weight doesn't matter at all compared to the speed it flings an arrow. Also adding more layer of sinew would only slow the bow down. It increases the draw weight but it adds weight and more mechanical friction. Take a rubber band for example. If you just stretch a rubber band further and shoot it it will go further than if you took a thicker rubber band and shot it. While you would have more force the thicker rubber band would have more inertia so it would resist that force more while also being understretched compared to the smaller rubber band

I got one of my deer this year with a 43# sinew backed juniper bow and the stone tipped arrow was sticking 8" out the other side. If I was using a steel broadhead it would have zipped all the way through.

One thing I would suggest trying is flinging an arrow through a chronograph with the same arrow on this bow and another bow that you would deem hunting weight. You may be surprised with the results. Here in North Dakota it is rather dry so juniper and sinew work amazing. It outperforms osage.

[pierce_schmeichel]

Oh yeah by the way my draw length is only 24". So your 42# bow with a 27" draw is going to shoot faster than my bow at a 24" draw and 43#. Your bow is beautiful! Don't give up on her she may be stronger than she seems. Let us know what you find out!

[pierce_schmeichel]

I took a look at the video and I found it takes your arrow .242 sec to get to the target from the bow. So if you were standing 10 yards away from the target then your arrow is traveling approximately 125 fps. Which isn't great but depending on the weight of your arrow it is still quite lethal. If you were 15 yards away from the target then that arrow wad traveling 180fps. How far were you from the target about?

[WhistlingBadger]

Yeah, Pierce, it feels pretty fast for such a low draw weight.  I was about 12-13 yards out.  I don't have a chronograph or I'd find out for sure.  Need to get one, I guess.

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks for the input, guys.  Much appreciated.

[pierce_schmeichel]

Yeah, Pierce, it feels pretty fast for such a low draw weight.  I was about 12-13 yards out.  I don't have a chronograph or I'd find out for sure.  Need to get one, I guess.

Okay so your arrow is traveling about 155fps which sounds about right. That's about what I get out of mine of similar builds...that is PLENTY to take down practically anything. How heavy are your arrows?

[WhistlingBadger]

I was shooting a few different ones that day to find the sweet spot.  I think that one was around 400-450 grains, something like that.  My elk arrows are 750, and they fly OK but are probably a little slower.

[pierce_schmeichel]

I was shooting a few different ones that day to find the sweet spot.  I think that one was around 400-450 grains, something like that.  My elk arrows are 750, and they fly OK but are probably a little slower.

Yeah it'll go a little slower. With that 700 gr arrow it will go about 130fps with 26 foot pounds of energy...that is more than enough to take down an elk, especially with steel points.You got a nice quick and powerful bow

If you are wanting an arrow to fly faster you could still use that 450 gr arrow. It has about 25 foot pounds of energy. Less inertia of course but it would still do the job on an elk. I might suggest using a 550 gr arrow it'll go about 145fps with 25.5 foot pounds of energy.

I find personally using juniper I am able to get faster arrow speeds with lower draw weights which in turn helps one shoot more accurately.  love juniper!!

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks for the info, Pierce.  Looking forward to trying this with a chronometer...

[bjrogg]

Thanks for the info, Pierce.  Looking forward to trying this with a chronometer...

I’d like to thank you too Pierce. Interesting information and I agree with your assessment.

My first white tail bow kill was with an overbuilt HHB. The only bow I ever had opportunity to shoot through crono. It was flinging a 590 grain arrow a not real impressive 129 fps.

I remember worrying about the numbers. I was assured by some others on this site that I really respected that if I put the arrow where it needed to be that I would be happy with the results.

I practiced hard and by season I was shooting probably the best I ever have. I had a pass through and a short blood trail

Put one where it needs to be and I would guess that you will be happy with results.

Good luck. Either way it’s a nice bow.

Bjrogg

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks, BJ.  The only reason I worry about speed is that first of all, elk are big critters and I want good penetration (that's why my state has a draw-weight minimum for them), and second, the faster the arrow is going, the less chance of one reversing ends on me like that raghorn did last fall.  That was a bummer.


So, I'm already working on juniper/sinew/bullsnake 2.0, with the same design but heavier draw.  I will definitely finish this one and either keep it for deer and antelope or give it to somebody.