ERC Warbow

[Eric S. Campbell]

I just cut down a ERC and will split it into staves monday. I really love the color of the heartwood! But I have a few questions since I have not worked with ERC before. I think I will be able to get 8 staves out of it. Should I keep it more flat or should I have a more oval shape to it? Also should I keep some sap wood on it? If so will it act like yew or will it only be for looks?

[adb]

Marc St Louis has made some excellent heavier weight ERC warbows, and hopefully he'll chime in when he sees this. Some pics of your staves would be good. 

[Marc St Louis]

This is the thread on the one I made a few years ago

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,3256.0.html

[nidrinr]

You'll have to excuse me for asking such a dumb question, but I really can't figure out what type of wood ERC is..?

[HoBow]

Easter Red Cedar

[sonny]

Let us know how many staves you get from that log.
I've not made a warbow but I have split plenty of ERC in the past.
I think you'll find that it doesn't want to split as nicely as other woods,
the splits tending to run one way or the other.
After you get the log split in half it's better to start the
remaining splits about midway, splitting from the center out.
     

[jkekoni]

BTW: Eastern red cedar is not a cedar, but juniper. <Juniper Virginia>

[Eric S. Campbell]

Well after getting the tree out of the woods with around 100 degree temps. I finally split it. While the tree was perfectly straight and free out knots for 6' up on the outside. When I split it it had a twist in it and small knots from branched the tree must have had when it was younger. I got 6 staves out on it. None of them are ideal but I am going to start with the worst one with the least amount of heartwood and just try to make and ELB instead of a EWB. Will update with pictures starting from a split piece of wood to hopefully a finished working bow.

Also I am still trying to decide if I should keep it flatter or more round. Any input would be great.

[Eric S. Campbell]

Well I did not have any batteries for my camera at the time I roughed it out. I have it pretty much roughed out and tillered untill I has it strung with some side nocks and shot and arrow and it broke at the nock and I had to shorten it to just under 6' without horn nocks. This bow provided it survives will be a strong bow. It feels alot stronger than my 90 lb. bow. Will get some pictures of it strung up soon. I took some videos to see how it tillered today and it had the full compass tiller. I have to re-tiller it but I am heart broken. But keep in mind this was the worst stave in the bunch.

[RyanY]

How did you get the wood dry enough for a bow this fast?

[Eric S. Campbell]

It may not be ready but I figured since it was the worst piece that I didn't have much to lose. But taking off most of the sapwood, 100+ degree weather oustside durring the day, and keeping it next to a fan and a heater at night. Might not be the right way but I was itching to work on a bow.

[Eric S. Campbell]

Keep in mind the bow is not finished and this was the worst stave in the bunch. I still have to do some finishing on it am am going to buy a better scale tonight. The bow is 69" nock to nock since I had to shorten it. I have a 90lb. bow and can shoot it without much trouble. But I can't pull this bow back more than 20" so far. The nocks are an overlay of walnut, I did not want to put horn nocks on this one. The string is braced about 3" in that shot. Sorry about the picture quality but I just wanted to show you guys how it was coming.

[Eric S. Campbell]

OK here is the weight. At 20" it pulls 80lbs, at 25" it pulls 105lbs. The ERC to me seems very brittle and I am afraid to pull it much farther and have it break. Should I thin it down a bit and be able to pull it 28-30" or should I leave it as is an work on another? I feel good that it actually made a bow that shoots but it being warbow strength makes me feel good. The tiller is a little off in one of the limbs so I might try to fix it.

[adb]

It's hard to tell what's going on with your bow, without some full draw pics. Your bow would definately not qualify as a warbow, with a 25" draw. Most warbows are tillered to 30-32". Sounds to me like you're well on the way, but need to tiller this bow out further. Remember, don't pull it past your final intended draw weight.

[RyanY]

I would suggest trying to tiller it out as far as you can. Being ERC and only 69" I'm guessing it would be fairly difficult to tiller it out to 32" but then again you could always sacrifice weight. Full draw pics help.