Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Almostpighunter on March 07, 2014, 03:39:22 pm

Title: ERC questions
Post by: Almostpighunter on March 07, 2014, 03:39:22 pm

I have some beautiful ERC staves and am excited to get started on them, but my couple of earlier tries ended badly, i think, because I am not used to the wood. They have a sapwood and hardwood layer, several knots and a lot of wood to work with. My questions are:

If backing with rawhide, how crucial is finding a single growth ring in the sapwood (The rings are REALLY small)?

Is there a better bow design for this type of wood over another (Flatbow vs. rounded belly)?

Should this bow be kept longer or the limbs wider to help distribute the forces over a greater area?

Any other helpful hints about working with this kind of wood would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance guys!!!

Title: Re: ERC questions
Post by: toomanyknots on March 07, 2014, 05:24:35 pm

I've had good luck with maple backed erc, haven't tried rawhide though.

Title: Re: ERC questions
Post by: 4dog on March 07, 2014, 06:20:41 pm

watching.   ;D

Title: Re: ERC questions
Post by: Onebowonder on March 07, 2014, 07:04:30 pm

Quote from: 4dog on March 07, 2014, 06:20:41 pm

watching.   ;D

+1 on the watching...

I have a bunch of Quartersawn ERC that I hope to back with good tension woods and see what I can make of it...

OneBow

 

Title: Re: ERC questions
Post by: bubby on March 07, 2014, 07:11:09 pm

as far as erc selfbow i'd talk to gundoc, he posted a knarly one last year

Title: Re: ERC questions
Post by: mwosborn on March 07, 2014, 08:01:57 pm

The one successful erc I made...

62" - parallel limbs to mid limb (1.75") mostly sapwood with a sliver of heartwood on the rounded belly.  Stiff handle and sinew backed. It is a pretty nice shooting bow. 

Title: Re: ERC questions
Post by: Almostpighunter on March 08, 2014, 02:24:09 am

Thanks for the input so far :)

Okay, I've searched the older posts for a bit and there seems to be a mixed impression of sapwood vs. heartwood. My ever changing brain is thinking to make a self bow now. Is that even possible with ERC? Looks like most of the bows I could find are sinew backed sapwood.

Title: Re: ERC questions
Post by: bubby on March 08, 2014, 02:35:00 am

May selfbow of the month http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,40606.0.html