Slippery Elm

[nclonghunter]

Halfeye inspired me to make a Seneca style bow with the spinal nodes along the length so I picked a piece of Slippery Elm I cut last year and gave it a try. I guess this is what keeps it interesting...

Lyman

[Pat B]

It was looking so good!  Sorry it broke.   Almost looks like it was too dry. Is it a board or tree stave?

[Elktracker]

Man thats too bad it was looking very cool, hope you try another one and win. what did you have it pulling to when it let go?

Josh

[crooketarrow]

  That looked sweettt.

[nclonghunter]

Pat, I cut it down and split the staves about this time last year. This is the second one from that tree. First was a "D" bow that hinged and lost too much weight. This one hinged and then snapped. There is a weak spot in the wood I think, couldn't be me..

It was 50# at 28 when it began hinging, I didn't check it again. There is a critical place on that Elm that goes from a power limb to hinge in just a few strokes of the rasp.  I really like that style bow and will keep trying. Working on a Hickory version of it now.

Thanks for the comments

[half eye]

Dang NC
      It looks like you had a non-bending handle on it?  If that's the case it's probably how come it broke just out of the fade...ya might need to make the grip just a tad bit thinner so that the bow can at least start bending into the grip, if not all the way through. I'll be finished with a little 46" ottawa that draws 51# @ 24"....it has 22 spine segments, and 44 limb cuts......but it bends clean through (full circle). How long was she ?
      You are about 20 or so behind me though on the broke ones   seems like your gonna keep after it so the next one ought to be the charm. When I first started makin 'em I could not believe how something so simple could be so hard, but the lightbulb finally come on for me.

Ya didn't ask for no advise so I hope it aint to forward to say this:
      Ya can try makin a 4" handle area that will be the thickest part and the limbs taper out to about 3/4" tips. Taper them both width and thickness. On red elm if you are 3/4" thick at the grip and taper to 1/2" thick near the tips on a mid 50" bend through the bow will be right around mid 60# at 24-25 right off the saw. Thats for 1-1/2" wide to 3/4" tips (quartersawn) When ya tiller these try workin the bend into the handle not the other way around.....(keeps from gettin too much bend in the middle) I use "tiller under tension" when I do mine.
rich

[nclonghunter]

Half Eye, you are right it had a small non-bending handle, but did begin bending about four inches from center mark. The highest point was dead center and it began fading from that point. The tiller was good and I was able to draw and shoot it, but it was just too stout for me. I began removing wood and the hinge appeared. I suspect I removed too much wood near handle that caused the hinge. Once it begins it seems hard to get rid of it, without big draw weight reduction.
 
I have made Osage, Locust and Hickory self bows but this Elm is "Diablo" for me. May throw some Holy Water on the next stave before I begin.

I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with me and others on here. I have seen your work and the "proof is in the pudding". Those bows are just not good looking bows, but they have "Style" built into them and are nice to look at.