Author Topic: Red cedar obsession. (Read 4912 times)

BowEd · « **on:** December 20, 2015, 11:27:13 am »

I'm bound and determined to make a cedar bow.Laminated.Stiff handled with an D/R profile from the handle.Backed with 1/8" thick hickory.Not straight line tapered in width from the fades I hope but to have levers and be more parallel limbs.Rough out the bow.Leaving square things square and dead flat.Taper my working limb thickness into thirds starting at 1/2" thick at fades.Steam in my deflex on Dean Torges D/R form.His form is adjustable.About 2"to 3" of reflex which I'll lose through tillering.Let cool and dry.Then clamp on my backing on the same form to get my reflex.Bet I'll have to get the heat gun out maybe.I'll try to use half a sapling for a backer if not edge grain hickory will have to work with that being tapered too because of the parallel limbs.My plans this time is to take a 16" to 18" log that's pretty clean on 1 side.Have Sam the Amish crosscut the middle 2" of the log.Maybe off to one side a bit.I'll see.Then cut out the remaining lumber into flat grain 2" boards.I'll use the edge grain for the bow.Should work.The limbs will start out 2" wide too.Am I forgetting anything?
Deans' form can be for hunting bows and target bows.The difference is the reflex is applied about 3" closer to the fades.

BowEd · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2015, 11:48:30 am »

I can remember doing bamboo backed hickory bows on this form and the amount of reflex glued in would leave about half after coming off the form.Then I'll lose some through tillering.So I'll have to gauge all of that.My friend Grant had this form he picked up at the first Mo Jam I think.

BowEd · « **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2015, 12:34:03 pm »

OK.I'll give it 4" tip reflex past back of handle hoping to keep 2" through glue up.That'll depend if my thickness tapering is good.After that I'll lose half or more again through tillering leaving with about 1/2" to an 1" of reflex.I can live with that.These are what I call a kit bow.Kind of a predetermined tiller etc.

bradsmith2010 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2015, 02:48:19 pm »

ok looks good,, I am sure it will work out well for you ,,

Badger · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2015, 02:54:39 pm »

How long will this bow be? What draw weight?

Danzn Bar · « **Reply #5 on:** December 20, 2015, 03:54:52 pm »

My Cedar obsession ended up in an explosion and I do mean explosion........sounds like your right track...
DBar

BowEd · « **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2015, 07:20:19 pm »

Yep Badger I know that's an important couple of questions.Sorry I left that out.I'd like to say 64" .52#@ 28",but the working length on this type bow might be limited with that length for good success.Soooooo Deans' form will accomadate a 68" bow and that's what I'm gonna do....I think....lol.
I appreciate the input even though I'm gonna hear things that I don't want to hear...ha ha.
DanznBar...I know what you mean man.Been through that before too.It was'nt a mild little tick...It was a big BANG!!!!! saying I fold....lol.

crooketarrow · « **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2015, 10:26:28 pm »

I made a selfbow ceder bow about 20 years ago. 64" ntn 55#@26"

I went through that stage where I had to build bow's out of anything and everything I could fine,buy, and yes I even took a few downed osage logs. 21

I look back now and thing why.

BowEd · « **Reply #8 on:** December 21, 2015, 12:38:36 am »

That's encouarging.Was it a stiff handled bow?To me osage is the easiest wood to make a bow out of because it is so forgiving.Making bows out of other woods is more of a challenge learning it's plus and minus characteristics and putting them to use in different designs.

Pappy · « **Reply #9 on:** December 21, 2015, 07:30:23 am »

I had that obsession once a long time ago, but got over it after the 4th explosion.

It can be done for sure,seen some on here, I just couldn't pull it off.

Good luck with it and looking forward to seeing how it turns out, should make a beautiful bow.

Pappy

BowEd · « **Reply #10 on:** December 22, 2015, 08:29:47 am »

Well I guess I'll have to go through that too Pappy.Going to the sawmill today to cut the log up.Robin might go along to take pics.I'l post a few then.Even though most on here know what's going on but hav'nt seen a mill before.I'd like to get as much good straight edge grain as I can.

Pappy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 22, 2015, 09:06:14 am »

Never tried it with backing, all my experience is self bow. Again good luck.

Pappy

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #12 on:** December 22, 2015, 09:14:40 am »

I was told by a wise trucker that the smaller branch wood is all that's worth using. Said trucker also sent me some branch billets and the weight and hardness of them is 5x what I've handled in trunk wood, almost yew like. It actually feels like I have a shot with these sticks.

BowEd · « **Reply #13 on:** December 22, 2015, 09:20:29 am »

Yes I've heard that before about the comparisons.Backing might be the difference to make it work for me with the trunk wood and this design.
Your talking branch cedar?From where?

,and you backing it with air?

Badger · « **Reply #14 on:** December 22, 2015, 09:28:13 am »

Sometimes it is not so much a matter of being forgiving as much as it is just making sure you have enough wood. ERC is very light you don't have all that much wood to work with unless you go considerably wider.

Primitive Archer