Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: redhillwoods on January 25, 2021, 07:17:47 am
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I'm interested in making an ELB. Never made one before (made many flatbows). I've got access to all the Carolinian hardwoods (Sugar Maple, Osage, White Oak, Bl. Cherry, Bl. Walnut etc). Are these species ideal for ELB's? Thinking #50 @30" L-75-80"
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If you used osage you could definitely go shorter. Some of those woods are more prone to compression fractures but have certainly made round bellied ELB's. Make sure your tiller is good and any of them could work.
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I made an osage ELB a while back, probably 55-60#@28", 68" long that worked out well. If you have a clear osage stave you could also leave a sapwood back for the color contrast.
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I made #50@28" elbs with rounded profile from maple and English oak. Length about 72", set about 1.75" (maple) and 1" (oak). Crosscut was like the only elm war bow from Mary Rose, reversed D (belly flatter and back rounder).
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Osage is the obvious choice. 70" long 1" wide, over the middle 12" then taper to 3/4" wide around 10" from the tips. Then down to 1/2" at the nocks (you can narrow them later 3/8ths should be plenty. Use DEan Torges method of a facetted belly through tillering to about 25", then knock the edges off and round the belly a bit.
The key with ELB's is getting the tiller right. You should only have a hint of bend in the handle, like not noticable amount of bend. The overall tiller should be highly eliptical to avoid too much mid limb set and handshock.
Use the straightest stave you have.
If you really want a 75" bow it can be done but the tiller should be more elliptical eg. more bend outer/less inner limb. Also the longer bow would probably be best made with a lighter wood. all the other you mention can't handle a traditional rounded belly like osage can. A flatter belly is the way to go. B.locust, maple or b.walnut would all work.