juniper bow

[loefflerchuck]

I think your mistaken with your juniper. juniperus communis grows in Canada and the rocky mountains at high altitude and is a shrub usually 2 feet tall or so. The domesticated version is also known as fitzer bush. If you found a 68" straight piece that would be beyond amazing. Depending on where you are if the heartwood is purple it's either ERC or rocky mt juniper. If it's brown, utah or western juniper.
 Juniper is a conifer so you don't need to chase a ring but it dosnt hurt to get close. That is too long for a sinew backing unless you went for long stiff tips. Then you could just back the near handle bending section. Juniper is one of the best compression woods in the world. I'm replicating 2 bows for a museum in California. One is 40" long with a thick sinew backing making up more than 35" of the thickness. It started with 7" of reflex and full draw is 22". The other is 37" with 5" reflex and draws 21". Not many woods can do that. Its also weak in tension so without the backing it will explode if pushed.

[loefflerchuck]

If your in the southwest there are a couple other not as well known junipers. One seed and Alligator.

[Bob Barnes]

He lives in Estonia....a country in Northern Europe, borders the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland...
Chuck is an expert on making bows from Juniper and totally right about making it shorter.  My sinew backed juniper is 60" for a 27-28" draw.

[Sitapea]

It has purple heartwood and i will back it with raw flax.
Also these junipers can be found even longer in here and it is juniperus communis because we dont have any other species.

[loefflerchuck]

I looked up common juniper in Northern Europe and found photos of great bow making trees in Finland. Nothing like ours over here. Good luck with your bow. Lets see it when it's done

[Limbit]

Yes, communis in Europe is a much larger tree for whatever reason. I am not sure why the North American variety likes to sprawl out so much. The Wiki page for it has some good visuals and says it is highly variable in shape. It would be interesting to compare the European variety to other Juniper from North America.

[loefflerchuck]

I've never checked it's properties. Here rocky mt and Utah and western juniper are very similar besides color of heartwood. Eastern red cedar is a bit heavier. The most dense of these junipers. Let me know what you find

[Sitapea]

I cant really compare it to anything because it is my first bow but when i finish the bow i will let you know how it goes.

For this bow, what would be good length and weight for arrows?

[Hawkdancer]

Sitapea,
If you can, post pictures of your progress in building the bow.  You will be able to see what you are doing and ask better questions if you need help.  Remember to take your time and plan your steps in the build.  The bowyer's on this site are very good and very helpful!  Sometimes, you even get a bit of humor along with the advice.  Good luck with your bow!  Also, welcome aboard!
Hawkdancer

[Sitapea]

Ok this is flax that i want to back my bow with. Would it work? Any tips? Is it ok to upload pictures like this?

https://imgur.com/a/8wJzeYy

[Sitapea]

Also there is 95 grams of flax in that box and i will comb it. Is it enough?

[Sitapea]

Now i have 60 grams of flax that is ready for glueing. Is it enough? Bow is about 1.5 inch wide and 66 inch long.

[gfugal]

If I remember correctly 60 grams should be enough. Since flax is so much stiffer than juniper, too much could lead to fretting, but too little means the back will work to much amd probably break. Tough call, maybe someone with more experiance could chime in.