Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Josh B on January 26, 2013, 02:13:10 am

Title: a fool hardy venture
Post by: Josh B on January 26, 2013, 02:13:10 am
I'm not sure what possessed me to try this.  This was a limb off a dead standing erc that has been dead for 5 or 6 years.  It was already chalky under the bark and riddle with long and deep drying checks, but for some reason it was drawing my attention as though it were whispering sweet nothings in my ear. I could resist the temptations no longer, so I decrowned  it, roughed it out to floor tiller, doped up the cracks, and started tillering in earnest.  Oh she was hinting at such promise as I slowly and painstakingly scraped and worked her into a lovely eliptical tiller.  Out to 22" , lovely.  23" oh my!  24" oh so smooth!  25" CRAACK !!!!!   :o ??? :'(  Bummer!  Josh
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: ionicmuffin on January 26, 2013, 02:21:15 am
looks like it would have been amazing if it had worked out! i had something similar happen to my erc, but it was a set of knots riddled with rot.
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: Roy on January 26, 2013, 02:28:21 am
Doc, super glue her back together and try again.. LOL
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: iowabow on January 26, 2013, 02:31:11 am
Bummer Josh looks like it was starting to come together
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: soy on January 26, 2013, 03:37:53 am
You gotta watch out for beautiful things whispering sweet nothings into your ear.... it ends up in Heartbreak every time >:D
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: sleek on January 26, 2013, 06:03:27 am
Sirens of the bow world.... Sing to you, drawing you in... into certain destruction... even though we all know better.
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: DuBois on January 26, 2013, 08:17:47 am
I've got a great stand of ERC across the street from me and it was actually the first wood I made a bow from and also the first I snapped one from, bummer Doc.
I love that wood. If I get some harvested in the spring maybe I'll send ya a nice straight stave.
And thatnks for the tips on my grubby osage.
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: blackhawk on January 26, 2013, 10:12:52 am
Most all of us have been lured by that temptress  >:D
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: sadiejane on January 26, 2013, 10:18:48 am
thats one of the things i really like about you josh
you're sorta like mikey-you'll try anything
sorry it blew on ya
but i know you'll be grabbing another piece of that erc and making it your own
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 26, 2013, 10:21:12 am
I always say we wouldnt even classify it as bow wood if it wasnt pretty and smelled good.

Nice effort Josh. Grab some osage and everything will be okay buddy.
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: Badly Bent on January 26, 2013, 10:24:47 am
Sounds like you were close to pulling it off Josh, too bad she didn't work for ya man. Had a couple similar experiences myself. :)
Greg
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: JW_Halverson on January 26, 2013, 02:16:19 pm
Aw, you are quitting too easily.  A few strategic dabs of superglue, some sinew and hide glue wraps and you are golden!

C'mon, get back on the horse!

Cedar is pretty resistant to the elements.  When you think of it being standing dead for 5-6 years and making it all the way to a 25" draw before she blew, you just gotta wonder.  Here's hoping you find yourself another piece, ERC makes such pretty bows. 
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: randman on January 26, 2013, 06:35:45 pm
Ouch! Yeah them beautiful sireens'll get ya every time.
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: lostarrow on January 26, 2013, 07:53:42 pm
Harpy!Siren! Sometimes you just have to cover your ears and run away.
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: Gordon on January 26, 2013, 08:05:13 pm
Nothing ventured - nothing gained. Good on you for going after it.
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: Josh B on January 26, 2013, 11:18:34 pm
Lol! I think this one might be a stretch to fix with superglue and sinew.  Now if I were two get out some balin' wire and duct tape....... ehh....maybe?  Looking at the simultaneous break at both ends, I'm thinking full compass tiller might have worked out better than elliptical.  Oh well.  I'm not out much.

Thanks for the offer Dubois, but as you know there is no shortage of erc in my area.  I actually pulled this out from under a pile of erc staves that are not nearly as compromised as this one. 

Pearly- as soon as it blew, I went to work on a skinny little stave of the "king" and knocked out a nice little eastern woodland.  I felt much better while shooting it in.   :)  Josh
Title: Re: a fool hardy venture
Post by: Rick Wallace on January 26, 2013, 11:38:45 pm
Doh!!   ::)