Author Topic: Ka-boom!  (Read 3885 times)

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Offline KShip85

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Ka-boom!
« on: February 08, 2010, 04:44:23 pm »
Well,  had this piece of cedar sapwood roughed out and tapered down for a long bow.  Backed it with some canvas material and put on some temporary nocks to see how it was bending.  Pulled it back maybe 16 inches and POW!  Sounded like a .22 pistol going off next to my ear.  Nose is just a touch sore as some part of the limb smacked me right on the tip of the bone.  I had some doubts from the start with this one.  The back had some odd small valleys all over the back.  Anyway thus passes another cedar bow.

Kip

Kip Shipley    Bloomington, IN

Offline ken75

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2010, 04:48:23 pm »
sorry bout your loss , cedar is a lil tough to make a bow from , not much room for error

Offline KShip85

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2010, 04:59:28 pm »
I think I will stick to wide flat limbs when working with this stuff and also invest in some rawhide for backing.

Kip
Kip Shipley    Bloomington, IN

Offline Pat B

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2010, 05:17:49 pm »
...but when cedar blows, IT BLOWS!!! :o  Too bad! Now get back up and start another one. ;)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline KShip85

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2010, 05:52:34 pm »
You ain't kidding Pat.  If I keep this up I am going to start wearing a face shield when working with some iffy cedar pieces! 

Kip
Kip Shipley    Bloomington, IN

orcbow

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2010, 06:25:44 pm »
Kip - sorry to see another one blow-up! But I know you are not about to give up.....!

Grunt

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2010, 08:13:58 pm »
If you aren't breaking one every now and then you aren't making bows. Keep at it. Hope you are wearing safety glasses.

Offline Ryano

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2010, 09:03:55 pm »
That's why I leave the cedar bows to ya'll....... ::)
Its November, I'm gone hunt'in.......
Osage is still better.....

Lombard

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2010, 10:12:34 pm »
The more I hear about cedar, the more I'm thinking the ERC that I have drying might be better used as walking sticks. Or perhaps a decorative bow to hang on the wall at camp.

Offline OldBow

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2010, 10:18:42 pm »
The more I hear about cedar, the more I'm thinking the ERC that I have drying might be better used as walking sticks. Or perhaps a decorative bow to hang on the wall at camp.


No, no, no - to both you and Ryan - we have seen beautiful ERC bows here.
When you're retired, every day is Saturday

Offline mullet

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2010, 10:19:51 pm »
 There have been some fine bows on here in the past made from cedar. But it is cool when it blows. ;D
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2010, 11:06:38 pm »
Sorry to see that.  I just blew a sinew backed ERC.  I'm thinking my other ERC stave will be made into hearth boards as DanaM suggested.
Traverse City, MI

Offline KShip85

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2010, 11:22:27 pm »
The more I hear about cedar, the more I'm thinking the ERC that I have drying might be better used as walking sticks. Or perhaps a decorative bow to hang on the wall at camp.


No, no, no - to both you and Ryan - we have seen beautiful ERC bows here.

Yeah guys, I LOVE cedar.  Check on one of my recent posts and you will see a cedar bow that held up for me.  When it holds in makes a beautiful bow that can really have some zip to it.  I have heard of people to do it without backing them but from my short time with it I would recomend using something.  I heard rawhide works well and sinew on shorter ones.  The one that survived for me so far is 61 1/2" 75# at 27 inches, and it zips an arrow pretty good.  

I got to thinking about it some more and I believe that it got too dry.  After backing it I set it in the back of the shop not really thinking about the fact that with the stove going the temp is over 80 with 30% humidity.  I've heard that cedar dries fairly quickly anyway.  Oh well, live and learn!

Kip
Kip Shipley    Bloomington, IN

Offline Pat B

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2010, 01:57:55 am »
A guy came to my camp-o-rama two years ago with an all sapwood ERC, ELB style bow that shot very nicely. I was amazed.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline KShip85

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Re: Ka-boom!
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2010, 02:13:09 am »
A guy came to my camp-o-rama two years ago with an all sapwood ERC, ELB style bow that shot very nicely. I was amazed.

Was it backed with anything?

Kip
Kip Shipley    Bloomington, IN