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Author Topic: ERC bow designs.  (Read 5259 times)

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Offline Mafort

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ERC bow designs.
« on: January 25, 2019, 07:11:13 pm »
Which bow designs are best for eastern red cedar? I’ve seen Elbs made from them, recurves, sinew backed bows, and more made from erc but is there any one design that you all would recommend more than others? My grandpa jay is hunting in Colorado in the mountains and I wanted to make him a bow that he can use
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Offline bassman

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2019, 09:56:16 pm »
I have never made a bow from ERC,but from what I have read on here ,and studying California NA bows it is a type of Juniper.Compression strong ,and works well sinew backed.Others like fdp on leather wall have made good self bows from Texas Juniper also.I am sure guys on here have made successful bows from it also. I am surprised you are not getting more replies to this thread.
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Offline Scyth

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2019, 10:07:31 pm »
Mafort -

Look up  “The Reflexed Sinew-Backed Bow of the Sierra Miwok” . . .


regards,

John
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Offline neuse

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2019, 05:20:15 am »
That is an expensive book.
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Offline DuBois

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2019, 08:52:15 am »
My thoughts are ERC is light weight and strong in compression so a good match with sinew since the lightness helps counteract the sinew weight. I also have had ERC blow up before and I don't think I will make a bow from it unless backed. My first bow was an ERC short bow that I tillered while still too moist and took massive set. I backed it with silk from a second hand skirt and it is still in one piece but not a lot of arrows have actually been through it.
Beautiful wood and great aroma.
Good luck.
Marco
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Offline Pat B

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2019, 08:57:17 am »
ERC sapwood makes a nice bow. I saw and shot an all sapwood ERC ELB(45#@28") a few years ago the quite impressed me.
 I've made a few ERC bows over the years. I think I'd keep it long and back it with something, rawhide, silk, linen, sinew, hickory or maple.
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Offline Mafort

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2019, 12:07:49 pm »
It’ll be use for hunting in the Colorado Rockies. I’m trying to avoid sinew due to the moisture. Might do something like linen fiber
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Offline PatM

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2019, 12:26:18 pm »
You can easily put a very water resistant finish on sinew.
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Offline Mafort

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2019, 01:03:00 pm »
What do you recommend for that? I was going to use thin rawhide and then polyurethane finish but I don’t have a lot of sinew backing experience
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Offline PatM

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2019, 02:39:30 pm »
  I would hold off then and make a bow of a wood that's less finicky.
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Limbit

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2019, 02:59:04 am »
You can harvest Rocky mountain juniper in CO. Moisture won't be an issue there. Sinew it and if moisture is an issue, put a snake skin or birch bark over the sinew to protect it a bit.
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Offline Mafort

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2019, 03:36:18 pm »
 I don’t live in Colorado. I’m in Kentucky
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2019, 01:22:14 pm »
If gramps is going hunting out of state I'd not use ERC in any form. Personal opinion, Id use osage.
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Offline Pappy

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2019, 06:07:45 pm »
What Pearl said or at least make sure he carries a good back up, especially if you are making it out of the heart wood. Sap wood is a little more predictable and much more reliable.  :)  ;)
 Pappy
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Offline Mafort

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Re: ERC bow designs.
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2019, 05:25:55 am »
I’m in Kentucky and sending it to him in Colorado for hunting there. I’m just trying to make him a good reliable bow. Anyways I don’t have any Osage near me I have to go a few hours away to get it.
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