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Author Topic: Elm design advice  (Read 3816 times)

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Offline E. Jensen

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Elm design advice
« on: January 27, 2015, 04:26:02 pm »
I got this Siberian elm sapling from a friend in New Mexico.  Its 72" but I'm cutting it to 70" to chop off a weird bend on the top.  There were a lot of branches, about ever 2-3 inches on both sides, but they were linear and so I was able to orient the back so it was knot free.  It's also got a little reflex to it.  I roughed it out and stripped the back to the phloem (inner bark).  As someone with a forestry background, its a pet peeve of mine when people call it the cambium.  Its not!  It's phloem!  The cambium is in between the phloem and wood and is about one cell thick.  Anyways, its been drying since around thanksgiving. 

Not sure exactly what design is best for elm but I hear it does well with a crowned back?  Maybe I should thin the width near the tips and leave the width alone and just reduce thickness? 
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Offline E. Jensen

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2015, 04:26:56 pm »
 :)
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2015, 04:43:18 pm »
Without specifics Im guessing, but Id suggest leaving all the width you have. Clean up the sides to a minimum and lay the back out accordingly. Elm will make any kind of bow you wish. It can be fast wood.
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Offline bubby

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2015, 04:46:48 pm »
Cambium cambium cambium >:D
Seriously the only experience i have with elm is a great bow i got yeasterday good luck, cambium  :laugh:
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Offline Thunder

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2015, 04:55:43 pm »
Elm saplings make great bows, they're my favorite to work with. Just remember to keep the belly as flat as you can. I've been able to squeeze out a 50#er out of an 1 1/8" sapling, it's my go to bow. Good luck and keep posting.

Thunder
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Offline bushboy

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2015, 06:59:22 pm »
Not sure of the width?holmgaard is a great design for elm of a smaller diameter.clean up the edges so you have 1/2" of wood and go from there.if you end up narrow I would go for a rectangular section kinda d bow.check out marc st Louis heat treating,the difference is night and day!good luck!
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Offline E. Jensen

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2015, 07:33:54 pm »
The holmgaard was from small diameter elm wasn't it?
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Offline bushboy

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2015, 08:36:47 pm »
Not sure, I use trees about 6"-8" at the butt.
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Some like motorboats,I like kayaks,some like guns,I like bows,but not the wheelie type.

Offline E. Jensen

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2015, 08:58:31 pm »
It'd be cool if I was on my way to building an authentic replica and didn't even know it :)
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Offline Springbuck

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2015, 08:43:52 pm »
Take all the length it will give you (70" should be plenty), and all the width it will give you (your width will be determined by the diameter of the sabling, rather than what you want.)  Thin the whole thing to about 1" thick, except the handle area.  Keep that thicker.

  Is it dry?  If not, restrain nthe wood to keep it from laterally warping or twisting.  White wood saplings will give you fits as they dry.

  Make a long, narrow flatbow, (as wide as the stave will allow) starting with no more than 2" reflex (because it's so narrow), and start narrowing side to side about 1/3 of the way from the tips. 

Good luck.
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Offline Chadwick

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2015, 08:49:57 pm »
Well, if you don't think you have the skills to take it to the cambium layer, that's fine. Phloem is fine if you're not up to it. The world needs regular bowyers.  ;)
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Offline E. Jensen

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Re: Elm design advice
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2015, 10:33:51 pm »
Shave it to a single cell thick...hmm mm. ..challenge accepted
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