Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: jhutch65 on June 22, 2009, 11:55:31 pm
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Hi All!
I have been lurking and reading for a few months now and have picked up a wealth of knowledge here! I thank all of you for being so free and open with sharing your individual expertise and knowledge.
I now come to this forum with a question. I have a piece of red elm, 72" long with about 1/2 - 3/8" of sapwood and 1"+ heartwood. I am undecided as to making a flat-bow type configuration (fades about 1-1/2" or so) or possibly an ELB configuration. I know it may be different depending on which configuration I decide upon, but what would be a good recommended thickness of the sapwood? I can easily chase a ring down to 1/4" and maybe a little less, but not having worked this wood before, I want to make sure that I keep enough sapwood to be useful.
This is not my first bow, I have made 3 ELB's from Hickory, one flatbow from Ash with a Hickory back, an Osage/boo bow and a kids bow from of Walnut with a Hickory back. All of these previous bows have been board bows and this red elm is my first attempt at one from a split stave.
Any assistance in this would be greatly appreciated!
John
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With elm, like other white woods, the wood under the bark is your best bet for a back. Unless the back ring is damaged, go with it. I guess you could remove most of the sapwood so you have a ring or 2 and a heartwood belly.
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Hi, My only experience with red elm was a stave obtained in trade from Hammertime. You might send him a PM and ask him for more info. Elm in general has a reputation for being hard to very hard to split. ( A well deserved reputation based on my one experience collecting an american elm.) Chasing a ring is likely to be very frustrating! I would just use the sapwood 'as is'. That worked for me. Ron
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What Pat said. I like Red Elm for a bow !
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Thanks for the input all. Will chase a ring down a bit and go from there. WIll post pics when I get it to a point where it looks more than a carved up stave!
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The first few rings just under the bark are usually pretty thin, at least on younger trees. You may be able to scrape a couple down without much trouble, which would allow you to have a little more heartwood on the belly.