Elm Bow Specs

[RyanR]

I have 2 elm bow staves 74" long. The log was 3-3/8" diameter. There are some small knots but nothing major.  It is very straight.   I want to make a hunting bow out of this approx 64" long.  I was thinking a pyramid design. What width at fades would I need to start with.  I would like to end up with 55-60# at 27". Any ideas for this piece of wood would be appreciated.

[PEARL DRUMS]

64" ntn, 1.75" wide to start, flatbow style. Tempering is a grand plan with all whitewoods. Take it for what its worth Ry Guy!

[RyanR]

Ok thanks, a flatbow it is. When would you use the pyramid style?

[wood_bandit99]

Denser woods. Even then it would taper a little to half way then taper more

[k-hat]

I have yet to try a pyramid with elm, but I'm itchin too.  All mine have been flatbow with varying degrees of taper beginning at varying limb lengths.  Tempered and well-tillered they are a dream!

No reason why elm wouldn't make a fine pyramid bow in my estimation.  Would probably start 2" wide, maybe a touch more.  I mainly haven't tried it because i haven't had an elm stave yet that said "pyramid me."

[sleek]

What type of elm?

[RyanR]

Not sure what type of elm it is.  It was given to me as a seasoned 3-1/2" diameter log.  Finally got started on it after a couple days scouting and hanging stands. Trying to get a taper from the handle area from 3/4" to about 3/8" thick back to belly at the limb tip.  At what point do I temper the belly?

[sleek]

I temper after I am done tillering to final weight and draw length. That way the draw weight goes up with tempering and I can be sure to reduce the weight to exactly what I want. Some prefere to temper first so they can reduce set.

[k-hat]

I like to temper when i get it to brace.  For me that saves retillering after it's done, and you shouldn't have a lot of material to remove to finish tiller.  There's no one right way, think about you're own abilities and experience and try something.  One benefit of tempering toward the end as sleek mentions is a greater certainty of making weight, provided you're within 5# or so of desired weight before you temper.

All that said: with elm, best bet is at least do some tempering early, you can temper again at the end if desired.  As mentioned, this will make elm less set-prone.

[BowEd]

An old rule of thumb I read long ago is that at 65" long and two inches wide any wood will make it's own density draw weight at 28".It has held true for me.

[sleek]

How much set do you get using that rule beadman?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Id suggest tempering before you crush the belly fibers. That's the idea of tempering. Its primary benefit isn't adding weight, its firming up bellies to lessen set. Completely tillering a bow and then doing an intial tempering it isn't something id suggest. Its like trying to repair already worked wood fibers.

[blackhawk]

Prob not a good candidate for a pyramid due to its small diameter...go with a flatbow like pearly suggested..and yes temper before your bow starts taking set(and induce some reflex while doing so),and when you notice you've lost less than a 1/4"...then monitor it as you start tillering again(but give it a few days to rehydrate before bending again),and usually if you do your tempering right AND more importantly your tillering you prob won't have to temper it again....I rarely have to temper twice,but I have a couple times near or at full draw....

[SLIMBOB]

I'm with Pearl and Blackhawk.  Temper early and you maximize the benefits.  Wait and you've crushed the belly more than needed.

[Marc St Louis]

There are a lot of variations with Elm.  You can have some that will make a good American style longbow with 1 1/4" wide limbs and others that even 2" wide limb won't help.  If what you have has very elastic wood then you can easily make a Pyramid bow with it.  You have to determine what you have as you go along by paying careful attention to what the wood tells you.  If you heat-treat and reflex the wood and it still holds most of it's reflex after getting past the 20" mark then you have elastic wood and you can modify the style of bow you are making at this point, if you want to that is.