Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on March 08, 2012, 05:37:57 pm
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Made a time bomb today. Eastern red Cedar. I put in the hours and chased the sapwood to roughly 3\8 inch thick and chased a single growth ring on the whole back..what a nightmare....but it can be done. just wanted an un-backed erc for myself so i left it 66" long and had it tillered really nice to 59# @ 26" now I only draw about 25" keep in mind. Pulled it back on the tree about 50 times and shot it about 20 times. somewhere in the 20-30 shot area.KKKKKAAAAAAABBBLLLLAAAAAMMMMMMOOOOO. No warning at all and no blemish in the wood at all. Completely random. so when you think of a 2 1/4" wide cedar 66 long only being pulled to 25"..... It's a time bomb for sure...... you gotta back it if you want it to last... I figured this might happen but I had to know for sure..lol now i know. sux cuz it was really beautiful. it let go on my after my release, hit full draw fine but it exploded on the release. so yes next time, i will back it with sinew.... but I had to try. I spent a lot of time tillering it out good too cuz i really wanted it to last...but nooooooooo.lol dont try it, it wont work.lol
for what it is worth..pound for pound it was one of the fastest bows I have ever made.
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Too bad Ryan. Sounds liek you kinda had an inkling it may happen. With ERC it may happen quite often. Stick with that yellow stuff your so good at!
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yup, it just felt like a time bomb..lol but i was hoping...sinew from now on. just need a 60# or better ERC for my collection..lol
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Rawhide is a good backing for ERC.
I had one go at full draw too a few years ago. Sure was cexciting! :o
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Yeah it was certainly exciting. limb flew towards the target quite some ways. i never liked the looks of backings, but sinew is about the only one that i can stand to look at. rawhide, just doesnt do it for me for some reason..lol im a finicky bird.
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To each, his own! 8)
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Sinewed that ERC that I am working on a few days ago. Glad I did. I may go ahead and do another layer just to be safe ::)
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Dog Gone It!
Sorry to hear it.
But good to know, as I'll be harvesting some Big Old ERC off my Uncle's place this year.
I done got clearance... :)
Got plenty of Sinew and Rawhide on hand for just such an emergency.
-gus
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I woulda never been happy unless i tried one un-backed......but funny how im still not happy.lol
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ive thought about trying this in the dusty cobwebs of my mind,but then reality slaps me upside the head...i dont think i ever wanna try one unbacked.....sinew is def the best choice for this wood in my humble opinion. and i have the same feelings towards rawhide,it just doesnt do it for me either...and if im gonna add a backing i might as well take some extra time and get some extra performance out of it. yup...to each his own. glad your ok..thats the important part ;)
@keenan...i only put two courses on the last one i just did,and it worked great
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The loudest explosion I have ever heard from a bow breaking was an ERC sinewed back bow that I made. I was lucky it was on the tree. That was my last try using ERC. Dean
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That sucks! I made that same kind of time bomb about a month ago. Time bomb is right!! I think that bow ended up in at least 8 pieces as soon as I hit 27-28". >:( I've got one more piece, I'll be backing that one for sure!
Tattoo Dave
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ok so now we find the truths...lol now the last one I made was sinew backed. in the BOM right now. Its still up and kicking well its 54# @ 28" and 70" long..lol so it should be ok.
I need a shorter one for my personal collection tho. Im goin to sinew it and keep in mind I only draw 25.5" on a good day. short short do you think I can safely go with a rigid handle and sinew at 60# @ 26" next one I got up to bat is 64" long. long enough you think? maybe i should go back to a 66"one like this one that broke, but sinew this time.
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Well I for one am apalled that no one on here has demanded pics we must have pics of the splinters to be able to fully sympathize with you're plight. Ron
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my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't, my erc won't blow, my erc won't,
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I have 2 ERC staves I have been whittlin' on in between batches of carp skins. One is all sapwood and the other will be all heart wood, I will back them both and make sure to wear eye protection and a hard hat when they get pulled/shot for the first few times. Thanks for sharing the info!!! Ryan
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The only successful ERC un backed I have made was all sap wood,nice little bow and is still holding after years.I tried it a lot when i first started,years ago , rawhide backed and un backed,still risky,when they hold they are sweet but when the blow,WOW,I blame my short draw to this day on ERC. :) :) I have been meaning on trying another then I hear stories like this and remember why I quite using it. :) :)
Pappy
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The one I just finished up last month is 54" ntn, ishi type handle,n pulls upper 50s @25". Its a pyramid design,straight tapers from the fades,fades are 1.9" exactly and tapers to 3/8" nocks,and the tips are flipped....mine is in BOM right now as well if u wanna take a looksy.
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That is a beauty for sure blackhawk. :)
Pappy
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;D ;D ;D
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Thanks for trying that but more importantly for posting the results. This allows others (like me) to learn.
Keep experimenting!
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Sorry for your loss. But like others have asked, pictures please?
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lol next time i get the camera out...tomorrow prolly, i will take a pic
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and btw I am still mourning its loss..lol it was a beauty...BUT!, I have another in the works right now, good heavy course of sinew is drying now with a little forced reflex...... if this one blows... guess i will really appreciate the 70" long one I have already (in BOM)
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"I have another in the works right now"
That's the cure :)
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Ahhh yes,un backed ERC... shoots great till it breaks. Seldom a matter of "if" but,usually, "when".
Savor those memories of the arrows it flung and,now, finish your next one... :)
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here are your pics
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Now we can really appreciate your pain :o Sorry for your loss Bro. I've had a couple yew explosions that were in many pieces like that.
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Ouch!
It even blew a chunk off the tip...
I love ERC for carving and smell good stuff.
Have yet to give it a try in a bow.
But I will be entering those murky waters late this year or early next as I have some ERC seasoning now with plans to cut more this Spring.
-gus
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That stinks. Never seen one break the tip off like that.
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OKOKOK take them away before my eyes catch fire. Seriously it was a real beauty sorry it had to blow like that.Ron
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Never seen one break the tip off like that.
I've had some bows come apart like that and they included a tip fracture - I'm not sure why that is.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained...