Sinew backed Juniper

[nvstickbow]

I am contemplating a new bow.  I want to try to build a Sinew backed Juniper bow as from what I have read that is the materials that would have been used in my area.  I am trying to find a little info before I mess anything up.  I am hoping that the wealth of knowledge on here might be able to answer a few questions for me.  Thank you in advance.

How critical is it to follow a single growth ring?
Can I de-crown the back or is it unnecessary?
What dimensions would be optimal for a 60#@28" bow?
I was thinking about trying to recurve the tips a little.  Good idea or bad?

Just hoping to bounce a few ideas off the experts on here.  Thanks again.

[DanaM]

Not an expert by any means but I do believe when sinewing juniper following a
growth ring is unneccessary and decrowning shouldn't hurt. As for the rest ya better wait
for someone else to come along. It would also help if you said where yer from.

[snakebow]

After reading the story in this issue of PA, I want to try one too.  But I'll have to wait till spring cause I don't think my wife would like it if I did it in the living room.

[Justin Snyder]

Hey Dana, I believe he is from Nevada, nvstickbow. 
If it is backed one ring isn't a huge deal.
You could decrown, but don't have to.
I think 54" would be enough if sinew backed, but longer is a little easier and more forgiving of mistakes.
Re-curving will help with string angle and make it draw smoother.  Justin

[Keenan]

 Nvstckbow, 
    With juniper there are several things to consider.  First off I prefer using larger diam. limbs vrs. the main trunk. However a main thrunk is good if it's not a large diam. tree.
  On the branch, look for a branch as lager as you can and keep in mind you will be using the top side. The reason for this is that the heart wood will be closr to the surface and require less thining and the rings will be much tighter. It's best if you have about 1/3 sap and 2/3 heart wood. The sap wood is more ellastic but can be a little slow and doggy by itself.  The heartwood is more brittle and better for compresion. If you are going to sinew, you can get away with some ring violation if it's not to severe. You will have pin knots  and maybe a few larger ones ,it's almost impossible to find perfectly clear. Just be carefull where the bigger ones are and saturate them with super glue. The super glue will keep them from cracking out when drying.
  Juniper is best for shorter bows and more of a flatbow/pyramid style. It dose not work well for longer ELB style bows. It dose make a fantastic shorter brush bow when sinew backed. You might also consider sturgeon skin over the sinew for added protection. It is very strong and adds increddible  cosmedicts.
  Juniper can be formed while green or formed with steam if already dry. But can be stuburn when dry and require soaking with a damp cloth.
 If curing a stave for longer periods be sure to remove the bark or but in an enclosed area. Wood wasp love fresh cut juniper.
 Here are a few links to a few that I have done.
 Juniper is prone to dry rot in older trees and the wood in the trunk may look fine but can be more like balsa wood. Limbs are best

 http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,1334.0.html

 I cant find the link to the sturgeon backed juniper that I did so I'll try to get some more pics of it and post them. It is a shorter and faster bow with recurves and a better design for juniper.
 Ok here are those other pics.  Keenan


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[brian melton]

kEENAN,

                     What did your doc think of your bow you gave him?? I think I missed the response if there was one.....

[nvstickbow]

Thank you to all who have responded. 

Keenan I have seen several of the bows that you have made and will certainly take any advice that you would offer.  The wood that I have was cut about two weeks ago and is a limb of about 4 1/2" diameter.  The side that I planned on split off is the section that was the closet to the center of the tree and I guess you could say facing up.  I think that I can get around all of the major knots and get a pretty decent stave out of it.  Is it best to rough out the bow green and recurve the tips before setting it aside to cure?  I am really trying to get a good hunting bow out of this one.  Thank you.

[waterlogged]

Nvstickbow, where in Nevada are you from? I've found some really good stuff around Carson city, but it's still drying. I'll post when I'm doing something with it.

[nvstickbow]

Waterlogged,  I am from just south of Carson.

I just split the log and it developed a bit of a propeller twist (I know WHAT A PIECE OF JUNIPER WITH A TWIST!!!!!!) .  I am wondering if I shouldn't try to rough out the bow and put a clamp on and to try to remove the twist while it is drying?

[Pat B]

I'm not familiar with juniper but if it is starting to twist, I would clamp it to a form until it dries or is at least more stable.    Pat

[Keenan]

 Yes, clamp it down and form it as best you can while drying.  I usually let the dry in log form, because it dose tend to twist if split green. Keenan

[M-P]

I love working with juniper.  Most of the wood I collect on my own is Rocky Mountain juniper (Looks and works like ERC) but I'm putting the finishing touches on a bow from mountain juniper collected near Mt Lassen.   I've often read that juniper loves a sinew back and find that I agree.   I haven't noted a big difference between sapwood and heartwood in working characteristics and usually do not decrown or chase rings.   On those staves I have removed sapwood from I've been quite free in violating growth rings and depend on the sinew to hold everything together.  Make your limbs at least 1.5 inches wide, wider if you can.  Especially so, if the bow is going to be short.   Juniper is a reasonably light wood and even wide limbs have fairly low mass.  Sinewed juniper seems to be very good at retaining and reflex or recurve you put into it and to stand up to the extra strain, so a short ~60", wide ~2 " recurved bow is my suggestion if you wasnt to stretch the limits.     Ron