Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Mo_coon-catcher on June 18, 2016, 06:14:32 pm
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I'm about to start tillering in a black walnut ELB soon. My first ELB and my third walnut. It's roughed out and roughly floor tillered. I xhased a ring into the heartwood to remove some bug damage, I couldn't get rid of all the damage so filled the holes with deer antler powder and super glue. In the morning I'm going to glue on some temporary overlays and spend the day tillering on it. The goal is 60# at 27". The roughed out bow is 76" Tip to tip. About 1 1/8" wide and 1" thick at the handle transitioning to a 5/8 ratio once out of the handle. I need to straighten out some sideways bend on one limb knce I get it long string tillered. And those side profile kinks are going to make things interesting. So any tips? And I'll keep updated on how it goes.
Thanks,
Kyle
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First off, I'd back it, at least with rawhide. A repaired back wouldn't be sound enough for me.
I made a hickory backed walnut ELB years ago. It took considerable set and fretted. Now that could have been my tillering. ;)
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If you want a challenge carry on!!
Yes back it with something for certain, bug holes and elbs.....and you are too narrow for 60#. Walnut isn't great in compression and elb bellies need to be bombproof. Ipe, osage, pau ammerillo,greenheart and lignum are my woods of choice for elb bellies....quite different to walnut ;) I have made a couple with walnut bellies/hickory back (trapped) but they were 1 1/4 wide and 40# ers. To be fair they came out well but I wouldn't choose walnut again.
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I'm feeling up to the challenge. I'm going to leave it a more square profile as opposed to a true rounded belly ELB. I'd rather not back it if possible, but if I do, would rawhide be an acceptable backing for this? Id like to keep as close to a self bow as possible. Really it wouldn't bother me if the repaired big holes let go and it went boom. I sort of feel like seeing if I can make it work. This bow will be for me, and if it doesn't feel like cooperating, I'll justs start over. Plus I've got several pieces of ERC and maple backing a ready to go for a good ELB. I'll probably make this walnut bow my MoJam play thing.
Kyle
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I would be afraid of using walnut for an English longbow just because it's not great in compression at all but I definetly would like to see you try it and succeed.