winged elm self bow

[Jim Davis]

I've made several winged elm  bows using wood that grew here in western KY. Worked well, but I like Osage.

[BowEd]

Your right JIm.It's hard to dethrone the king as I said earlier.Have you ever done a specific gravity test on yours?In other words how wide and long do you need to make yours to get a 50# draw at 28"?
The winged elm has a few characteristics about it that please me.Very mallable [by that I mean it holds the shape it is heated to].Takes heat treatment very good.Over all very elastic.All good bow making characteristics.To me it definitely is not a marginal type bow wood.

[Don W]

 

[BowEd]

The brain tan market out there is rather expensive these days unless you do it yourself Chuck.Give me a little time and a rut season and I'll see what I can do for ya.30 years ago I had an excess of brain tan.I've made about everything that can be made out of the stuff already.Maybe some of that local siberian elm if it's a dense elm could be a trade item.I've read it is not affected by the dutch elm disease.

[Mad Max]

Nice one Ed

[bjrogg]

Nice bow Ed. I’ve only tried one Elm bow. The stave was given to me and I’m afraid I didn’t do it justice.

I don’t know what type it was, but it was not very dense. Seemed way softer than I was expecting. I’m going to give it a go again someday with some local stuff. I know after the Dutch Elm disease gets it it’s  so hard the chain saw doesn’t like it.

Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Thanks fellas.
Here's what I mean about elms' diversity in density.The bow on the right was made 8 years ago and sold as winged elm to me at the 2012 classic.63" long.1 and 7/16" wide at fades.Pulls 54#'s @ 28".I was told it grew in south carolina.It's been through a few hunting seasons successfully and years of summer time shooting fun still holding an 1" of set back on the tips.It is as hard as some of my hickory and I know it is not hickory by working it.
The bow on the left recently posted on this thread.Sold as winged elm also but grown in arkansas.59" long.A scooch under 1 and 7/8" wide at the fades.Pulling 51#'s @ 25".
The wood of this bow made to the parameters of the previous bow next to it would only be a lower 40 pound bow at best.
Both bows start out at the fades at around 9/16" thickness longer bow & 5/8" thickness on shorter bow.7/16" thickness midlimb on longer bow & 1/2"  thickness midlimb on shorter bow.

[burchett.donald]

  Really nice work Ed...Looks well balanced in your hands as all your bows do...I really like that stain 
                                                                                                                                                            Don
                                                                                                                                                       

[Pappy]

Nice bow ED, I also like Winged Elm, makes a great bow if you can keep it dry during the build. 
 Pappy

[Gimlis Ghost]

Apparently Elm was the most suitable bow wood available to the Danes for many centuries, Yew trees being a relatively recent import.

[gutpile]

Ed I am glad you found some... bow looks like it has some authority to it.. sweeet... gut

[BowEd]

Thanks....No problem gut.

[simson]

Classy work, Ed. Like the stain and the tips!
Here in my homeland its getting hard to get good elm, most of them have the dutch disease.

[JW_Halverson]

You sure have a way with self bows, Ed. Those limbs got everything they need and nothin' they don't.

THAT is a lethal weapon.

[BowEd]

Thanks fellas.....
The bow and string is in transport to it's new owner.I'll hear later from him how he likes it.He's a hunter.I bubble wrapped it double with 2 bamboo arrows and put it in a schedule 40 thickness pvc tube with 3/4" plugs in the ends.He makes his own bows too but has a busy life.
Just in time too.Deer season is upon us soon.Bow deer season starts in mid september.Here in Iowa the 1st of october.Leaves on the softer woods are beginning to turn a bit.Love this time of year.I've been practicing steady from a ladder stand.
Gonna use an osage this year with a red rat on it calling it the red rat bow.
Plenty of does around and their counterparts will show up when the time is right.