Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: sleek on December 22, 2014, 07:58:00 pm
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First question is, can it ERC heat straighten? If it can, how hard is it to?
Beyond that im not going for help gh poundage. Anywhere between 40-55#@26 with a stiff handle and its 53.5" long. My boo strips arent wide at 3/4" wide. Ill be traping the back to a wider belly. Doing that should I reflex the bow much or try something else?
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I would not do it period unless it bent through the handle. Erc is just not that strong. Might be fun to try it though.
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So far every erc has literally blown up on me. But I see some get made that are astounding. Figure im doing something wrong? I will make it a bendy then...
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Was hoping the discussion would go a little further on bending ERC....I'm going to be trying a sinew back recurved ERC.
I assume Badger it is because of the length????
Sleek,
Your first question still hasn't been answered "First question is, can it ERC heat straighten? If it can, how hard is it to?" would like to here more response on this one ..... :)
DBar
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My grandson's dad has been shooting one for close to ten years. It is glued in the handle billets, 55#.
And, yes, I've bent ERC with a micro wave.
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Sorry I don't have any first hand experience bending ERC (although I have a cedar stave in my Upcoming Project Pile). I have seen a couple of posts indicating that steam bending is the way to go, but you can't go too far with it. It seems that Simon (simson) has done some ERC bending; perhaps he will chime in.
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I got 2 ERC staves online, and steamed in recurves no problem. I roughed them both out pretty green, like I usually do juniper, but they both deflexed on me pretty bad. I made a short unbacked low weight bow just to try it out, and to be honest it seemed a little too light and brittle. It's the 4th juniper species I've worked, and it's my least favorite yet, but maybe it was just the wood I had. I would love to try a sapling or a nice branch
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My grandson's dad has been shooting one for close to ten years. It is glued in the handle billets, 55#.
And, yes, I've bent ERC with a micro wave.
Eddie that the bow I sent you? If so, made from boards as well.
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I have used steam on ERC successfully. I steamed in recurves here: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,48466.0.html
Boo on erc is here: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,48559.0.html
I think it should be heavy trapped to not overpower the erc. If it is a straight stick (no recurves) I would glue in a good amount of Perry reflex
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My grandson's dad has been shooting one for close to ten years. It is glued in the handle billets, 55#.
And, yes, I've bent ERC with a micro wave.
Eddie that the bow I sent you? If so, made from boards as well.
Yep; that's the one. Still shooting strong at 55#.
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I think it should be heavy trapped to not overpower the erc. If it is a straight stick (no recurves) I would glue in a good amount of Perry reflex
If ERC has to be backed and needs to be heavily trapped for a boo backing why it considered such a good bow wood? What redeeming attributes does it have?
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I think it should be heavy trapped to not overpower the erc. If it is a straight stick (no recurves) I would glue in a good amount of Perry reflex
If ERC has to be backed and needs to be heavily trapped for a boo backing why it considered such a good bow wood? What redeeming attributes does it have?
Don, ERC and all junipers are extremely strong in compression, just need a little help with tension.
It's very light as well, and very springy. These are all reason why it's such a great combo with sinew
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Plus it's absolutely gorgeous wood, and a treat to work. Smells amazing
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I think it should be heavy trapped to not overpower the erc. If it is a straight stick (no recurves) I would glue in a good amount of Perry reflex
If ERC has to be backed and needs to be heavily trapped for a boo backing why it considered such a good bow wood? What redeeming attributes does it have?
Just because a wood has to be treated differently doesn't mean it's bad bow wood. I could say the same thing about having to chase a growth ring on osage when hickory can take grain runouts like nothing else. ERC makes fast shooting bows if done right
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I like erc in the right application but I think he said his was 3/4" wide? thats pretty narrow for a 53" long bows.
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Badger, the boo is 3/4 wide. The stave is 2" wide about...
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Well, that certainly makes a difference, I wouldn't use a 3/4" back on a 2"board though.
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Its actually a limb stave, pics will help I know, but how wide would you go on the belly for a 3/4 wide boo strip? I would like to know basically, what dimensions to build to. I feel like a new guy here and I reckon my questions are showing that.
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(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i411/rocketernally/20141223_175839_zps55mfflvg.jpg) (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/rocketernally/media/20141223_175839_zps55mfflvg.jpg.html) 90 degree prop twist is my biggest problem. Its 1 3/4 wide btw.
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Even if I was backing it with boo I'd leave it wider then 3/4". And like Steve said it is pretty short for that width. You might be able to get away with it if it was backed with sinew. I've made several unbacked cedar bows but they were 1 3/4" wide at the fades, at least. And the more sapwood the better.
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Hmmm well I guess this will get tossed to the side for a while. I thought you could glue the boo on the heartwood and not need sapwood? So, leave the stave wide as I can and put the narrow boo on the back. I think they can keep it 1 1/5 after clean up out the fades, then narrow down. I will do a bendy handle... eventually.
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I was talking about leaving the sapwood if you make a self bow. The bow that Brian sent me is just a cedar bow from a board, all heartwood and bamboo backed. But it is wider then 3/4". I've seen some excellent self bows that is almost all sapwood. They were very fast.
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Well Eddie, my plan was to use the narrow boo strip on the back and leave the belly wide, making a trapped back.
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I have made several self bows from cedar, I would go tat way if I were you. At the short length you need all the width you can get. With the prop twist issue thrown in and the short length I hnestly would toss it in the woodpile and find sometning else to work on. It might be fun to play with but I wouldn't fall in love with it.
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Duly noted.
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I think it should be heavy trapped to not overpower the erc. If it is a straight stick (no recurves) I would glue in a good amount of Perry reflex
If ERC has to be backed and needs to be heavily trapped for a boo backing why it considered such a good bow wood? What redeeming attributes does it have?
Its pretty I guess???
I don't think ERC is good bow wood at all, but it will hold together for a while if you do things just right. Being a juniper, you have a shot from the start. But it doesn't hold a candle to any yew from anywhere. Hopefully I get some mountain grown juniper this year and can have one more to compare it to. I have heard ERC branches excel compared to trunk wood.