Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: dreamcraft_archery on March 16, 2022, 03:18:45 pm

Title: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: dreamcraft_archery on March 16, 2022, 03:18:45 pm

Hi guys!

My first try at sweet cherry (Prunus avium) wood bow. The stave was seasoned for nearly 2 years. I used one sapwood growth ring for the back, the rest was the heartwood. What's interesting - both heartwood and sapwood at the same growth ring at some spots mixing with each other. The same thing can be observed on european ash wood.
I applied my trusty design on this one. Limbs at widest are 2 1/5". I tillered the bow to 45-50 lb at 26", 27" is the max draw. The bow is 66" ntn. For arrow shelf and horn overlays I used cow horn. I'm happy with the outcome. The stick took around 1" of set.

Here is my build along video:
https://youtu.be/ne8jUn8WOPM

Have a great day guys!

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: diliviu on March 16, 2022, 04:19:06 pm

What a beauty! Should be fast, also.

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: dreamcraft_archery on March 16, 2022, 04:34:20 pm

Thank you! Yes it feels fast!

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: Pat B on March 16, 2022, 04:40:33 pm

Very nice recurve. The bow looks nice with the contrast between the sap wood and heartwood.  :OK

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: Stixnstones on March 16, 2022, 06:10:20 pm

Very cool lookin bow.... nice work

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: WhistlingBadger on March 16, 2022, 06:16:52 pm

Beautiful.  What's sweet cherry like to work with?  I aspire to build a bow out of chokecherry, but it has to be backed.  Anyway, I love the heartwood/sapwood contrast.

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: superdav95 on March 16, 2022, 08:29:51 pm

Sweet bow!  Love those contrasting Colours.  Looks a lot like yew. 

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: bentstick54 on March 16, 2022, 10:31:56 pm

Very nice looking recurve. Love the contrast between sapwood and heartwood also. Congrats on a job well done.

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: Kidder on March 17, 2022, 02:37:49 am

That’s a really nice bow - probably my favorite of the bows I’ve seen you post, and you’ve posted some beauties. Great work!

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: druid on March 17, 2022, 03:43:14 am

Very nice bow. Good work.   8)

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: BowEd on March 17, 2022, 05:35:06 am

Beautiful outcome from your build.I've got black cherry here that makes excellent bows too if the design does'nt get too stressfull.

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: bassman211 on March 17, 2022, 10:57:48 am

Nice bow. W Badger 66 long , and 2 and 1/5 wide with linen, rawhide, sinew, or maybe no backing at if it is a really good piece of choke cherry should make you a successful bow. I am convinced the cc bows that blew for me were to narrow ,and short for the wood.

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: Selfbowman on March 17, 2022, 12:26:29 pm

I like it!

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: dreamcraft_archery on March 17, 2022, 04:22:43 pm

Thank you guys for your kind comments.
Speaking about my feelings about working with this wood - I'd say it's easy to work with hand tools and can be easily violated by the vise so it's a bit soft. I guess the cherry we have here in Europe might be sligthly different. After just a single build it's hard to say something for sure about this species. No doubts it's knotty and as I said the heartwood is mixing on the same growth ring with sapwood. Perhaps they have the same or similar properties. I think it handled this stressful design pretty well. 

Title: Re: Sweet Cherry Recurve 45-50# @26"
Post by: bjrogg on March 17, 2022, 04:32:44 pm

Sweet. That’s just they shape I like em.
Bjrogg