Author Topic: ERC longbow build-along and questions  (Read 19599 times)

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Offline adb

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #15 on: June 05, 2011, 02:21:57 am »
One quick thought/question... if this truly is your first bow, don't you think 80-100# is a bit ambitious?

Offline Marz5

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #16 on: June 08, 2011, 05:37:38 pm »
well I've finally gotten back to working on my bow and am taking a small break to type this out. I've got another question:
there is a bend (I believe its called a deflex), what is the quickest and easiest way to make this straighter?
here is a pic that show the bend

well time to work on the other limb :)
--Mark R.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2011, 05:42:42 pm by Marz5 »
Am fear nach glèidh na h-airm san t-sìth, cha bhi iad aige 'n àm a' chogaidh.
(He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.)
--Scottish Proverb

Offline CraigMBeckett

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #17 on: June 10, 2011, 10:14:05 pm »
I've got another question: there is a bend (I believe its called a deflex), what is the quickest and easiest way to make this straighter?
here is a pic that show the bend
--Mark R.

One would straighten a limb by first heating it and then clamping it in a position such that it is bent slightly more in the required direction than ultimately required. Depending on the wood and its state of seasoning you can either boil, steam or use heat from a fire or heat gun to heat the bow. Different people have different preferences for the method used and also claim that certain woods respond better to one method that the others. Others also claim that ":green", unseasoned wood responds to a different method than does seasoned wood. As I said before I know nothing of ERC so cannot recommend one method over another.

It must also be noted that not all woods respond well to heat bending. I would suggest you need to think long and hard over whether you really need to straighten the stave.

Craig.

 

Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #18 on: June 10, 2011, 10:20:26 pm »
If the ERC is green I would highly recommend steam as the method of heat correction over dry heat (heat gun) it has a tendency to check and crack with dry heat if it is at all green...might be the pitch/sap that is still active in the wood but that is only supposition on my part.  I tried early on to heat (heat gun) an ERC stave that was not dry or fully cured and it checked/split immediately at the area of applied heat.

Do you have better pics of the whole stave and the areas that you feel need heat treatment?  Do you have any idea how cure or fresh this stave may be?

Good luck on your build...

~ Lee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
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Offline mullet

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #19 on: June 11, 2011, 04:55:17 pm »
There was a gentleman from Tennessee on this site about 4 years ago that made several ERC Warbows in the 90- 110# range.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline adb

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #20 on: June 11, 2011, 05:35:28 pm »
Marc St Louis has also made some warbows from ERC.

Offline Marz5

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #21 on: June 15, 2011, 12:51:39 am »
well it's been wet and smokey here in "sunny" Florida, please keep those affected by the fires here in FL and GA in your thoughts

i'm nearly finished ruffing my stave out, and will put some pics up in the next couple days.

One quick thought/question... if this truly is your first bow, don't you think 80-100# is a bit ambitious?
it may be, but I like a challenge (I've worked w/ wood before, but yes this is my first bow), and like my father and his father I am a perfectionist (that is I pay very close attention to the details).

Do you have better pics of the whole stave and the areas that you feel need heat treatment?  Do you have any idea how cure or fresh this stave may be?
I'll have another pic of it soon; and I'm not sure exactly when it was cut, the description on e-bay says it was cut recently, and that was about a month ago when it was posted. It spent about a week in usps's care (when I opened the packaging I got a face full of steam :o ). Since I've had it it has been sitting in my room where I have a fan blowing anytime I'm in there.

It must also be noted that not all woods respond well to heat bending. I would suggest you need to think long and hard over whether you really need to straighten the stave.
duely noted, I haven't decided whether I will or not  but I think if  I do it will help w/ power :)... but if it will compromise the wood then I don't want to do it. :(

--Mark R.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2011, 03:18:55 am by Marz5 »
Am fear nach glèidh na h-airm san t-sìth, cha bhi iad aige 'n àm a' chogaidh.
(He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.)
--Scottish Proverb

Offline Marz5

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #22 on: June 15, 2011, 05:40:41 pm »
Do you have better pics of the whole stave and the areas that you feel need heat treatment?
here are the pics you asked for ;D
the second two are of where it starts to bend (the lower limb in the first pic), the growth rings take a dive there and get closer together

--Mark R.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2011, 11:05:06 pm by Marz5 »
Am fear nach glèidh na h-airm san t-sìth, cha bhi iad aige 'n àm a' chogaidh.
(He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.)
--Scottish Proverb

Offline Marz5

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ERC longbow build-along and questions (tillering help please)
« Reply #23 on: June 29, 2011, 12:41:50 am »
Ok I've finally gotten back to working on my bow and I've decided on whether or not I would straighten out the lower limb - for better or worse I'm not going to.
That being said, I need help/comments about tillering. I've made my first flemish string (w/ mixed results/opinions) for tillering (I normally make endless(for bows) for the simple fact that they stretch less, but I'm w/o a jig till I make one)

--Mark R.

the pic will be up in a few i'm having difficulties w/ it
« Last Edit: June 29, 2011, 12:46:44 am by Marz5 »
Am fear nach glèidh na h-airm san t-sìth, cha bhi iad aige 'n àm a' chogaidh.
(He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.)
--Scottish Proverb

Offline Marz5

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  • Better bend than break.
Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions (tillering help please)
« Reply #24 on: June 29, 2011, 12:59:36 am »
Did I do the circle/oval thing right?
Am fear nach glèidh na h-airm san t-sìth, cha bhi iad aige 'n àm a' chogaidh.
(He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.)
--Scottish Proverb

Offline CraigMBeckett

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions (tillering help please)
« Reply #25 on: June 30, 2011, 08:32:48 am »
Did I do the circle/oval thing right?

Yes its ok, because of the step in the left hand "as I look at it" belly,  it looks odd, it It will look better as you get further in the tillering, but it already shows the difference in the limbs.

Best of luck with the project.

Craig
« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 08:37:55 am by CraigMBeckett »

Offline heavybow

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions (tillering help please)
« Reply #26 on: July 05, 2011, 08:26:10 am »
I got a warbow ERC it took a bad set not a fast wood in the warbow design.

Offline Marz5

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ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #27 on: July 07, 2011, 05:49:30 pm »
well I got the wood bending further today, and was exercising the bow and held it at the max height I was drawing it to (30in on the the long string) for a couple seconds and then kaboom :o it exploded into 2 pieces :(
oh well guess I need to get another piece of wood to work on :)

thanks for all of the help everyone  :)

--Mark R.
Am fear nach glèidh na h-airm san t-sìth, cha bhi iad aige 'n àm a' chogaidh.
(He that keeps not his arms in time of peace will have none in time of war.)
--Scottish Proverb

Offline CraigMBeckett

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #28 on: July 08, 2011, 08:59:35 pm »
Mark,

Sorry to hear that it blew up.

Get another piece of wood and have another go.

Craig.

Offline aznboi3644

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Re: ERC longbow build-along and questions
« Reply #29 on: July 10, 2011, 09:17:21 pm »
that thickness taper looks all whacky.