Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: coaster500 on March 07, 2012, 06:12:37 pm
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I'm getting closer to a string with this stave. It's over 6' long but only 1 1/4" mid limb to 1/2" tips. It has quite a bit of reflex at this point but it looks like it's going to be a really deep "D" cross section.
My questions are...
#1 Should I sinew this bow to insure less set? I was planning on backing it and wish the stave was a bit wider but this is what I have to work with?
#2 The 1/4 ish sapwood on the stave is perfectly flat aside from just rounding the corners... is that the way it should be done?
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/Osage004.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/Osage005.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/Osage006.jpg)
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Coaster, I wouldn't use sinew on a bow that long. Too much work without the performance benefits of the sinew. A rawhide backing would give you protection and IMO is a good match for ERC.
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Pat when should I back it... at floor tiller or once it's on a string?
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With ERC, ASAP! ;D I'd do it now.
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Yup...pats got ya lined up for the best advice kip....that sapwood is just too nice to plane down and put a hardwood backer on it...I agree with the rawhide....man that's a super nice ERC stave ;)
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A bow of that design will not benefit from a sinew backing. Sinew works best with wider and flatter bows and recurves.
I agree, rawhide would be a good choice. Also, with an ELB type profile, I generously round the corners on the back. Sharp edges concentrate force.
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Sinew would definitely prevent it from lifting a splinter. On a bow that length, even at a 30 inch draw length you would not actually begin "loading" the sinew, so it would add more weight to the limbs than it would add to the cast of the bow. I agree with the others that very thin rawhide would be your best bet.
Goa with goat, or antelope. If you have a deer rawhide, the belly side will be the thinnest. The backs of deer can be a little heavier than you might want. In the P.A. Magazine classified advertizements there is a guy named Michael Foltmer out of Colorado and he sells really large antelope hides for about $40. You can back about 6 bows for that price. Or you can buy backing strips from him for about $20 if you don't want a whole hide.
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Well I'm 50@25... got the goat rawhide wrapped in Ace... we will see :)
Thank you
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Post pics when the bandages come off! We wanna see her facelift!
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thats one of the best pieces of ERC I have everb seen! Nice
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Ditto, rb. I didn't know ERC came without excessive character!
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It is a nice piece just wish it had been a touch wider but it's gettin close to a bow :) My last ERC got to a bow but I quit shooting it beacuse it was just to spooky....
The Mummy :)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/Osage.jpg)
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Mummy dearest.
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That's an amazing looking ERC stave, to be that clean for that lenght. Really nice sap/heart ratio too. It probably won't take much set. ERC usually doesn't. You'll either get it finished and turned into a bow, or it'll scatter itself randomly all about the room. Kinda all or nothing with ERC. That backing should help though.
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This is weird??? When I left the bow to dry overnight from gluing up the rawhide it had a slight amount of reflex. This morning when I check on it the reflex was gone and I have a slight amount of deflex???
How is that possible? Like I said weird!!!
Here's a picture after I trimed the hide... now we have some deflex???
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/Osage001.jpg)
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Here's the back with the Rawhide...
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/Osage001-1.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/Osage002.jpg)
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The wood probably sucked the moisture out of the glue and the rawhide. Give it a few more days or even a week to settle down and give up the moisture. You'll be fine.
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Getting closer to being done and trying on a hemp wrap and a rest/striker plate I made from an piece of antelope horn... don't know maybe leather would be better?
I had to shorten the bow as there was a crack on one end that looked suspect.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/HandlewrapandAnteloperest008.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/ERC%20bow%20project%202/HandlewrapandAnteloperest002.jpg)
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Marc made beautifull ERC warbow, here is the link http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=3256.0 .
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That's a gorgeous piece of ERC and at looks like it's coming together nicely. I really like that horn rest. Where did the wood come from, if you don't mind me asking. I've yet to see anything that long and straight in my neck of the woods.
Julian
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just curious. I can't quite see in the picture, was the belly facing up or down when you glued the rawhide on?
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Druid ....Marc really pushed that piece of Cedar to the max!!! Mine because of my ERC fear factor and a suspect crack is only 67"s long and I'm 51@27...
Sempertiger the bow is on it's side you are looking at the rawhide back...
Jude PM sent