Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: stuckinthemud on February 25, 2022, 08:12:18 am

Title: Realistically, how much heli twist can you heat out of elder?
Post by: stuckinthemud on February 25, 2022, 08:12:18 am
I have a pair of elder staves with severe heli twist. The twist is grown not caused by stress in drying. The twist is 270 degrees in a 60 inch length. My instinct is that elder makes  great firewood but before I cut it up I just wanna make sure
Title: Re: Realistically, how much heli twist can you heat out of elder?
Post by: Eric Krewson on February 25, 2022, 09:57:30 am
Too much to fool with in one stave and probably too much to cut a billet out of each stave and splice them together opposing to alleviate some of the twist and possibly get them to the point they could be straightened. I have done this a number of times with osage billets but none that were as severely twisted as yours.
Title: Re: Realistically, how much heli twist can you heat out of elder?
Post by: Jim Davis on February 25, 2022, 06:45:46 pm
If your elder is like our elder I grind it up and make compost out of it. Not an insult, but our elder is awfully soft.
Title: Re: Realistically, how much heli twist can you heat out of elder?
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 25, 2022, 10:55:00 pm
I agree with these august gentlemen. :) Jawge
Title: Re: Realistically, how much heli twist can you heat out of elder?
Post by: bownarra on February 26, 2022, 02:40:10 am
Well our elder is pretty darn hard and makes a great bow. A little brash in tension but it does make a great bow.
however I'd look for a straight piece :)
Title: Re: Realistically, how much heli twist can you heat out of elder?
Post by: Stickhead on February 28, 2022, 04:06:45 pm
You guys are talking about box elder, not elderberry, right?
Title: Re: Realistically, how much heli twist can you heat out of elder?
Post by: bownarra on March 01, 2022, 02:09:21 am
Sambucas Nigra
It can also be used for hornbow cores :) but don't eat raw berries;)