Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Pinaka longbows on October 21, 2018, 12:53:48 pm

Title: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Pinaka longbows on October 21, 2018, 12:53:48 pm
Just finished my new bow;
Its made out of elderberry (this stuff grows almost anywere, although you have to look for a good size stave)
It started with a branch roughly 2 inches in diameter and I removed the bark directly,  took away half of the stave except for the midle part.
After the initial work I sealed it with normal white wood glue and left to dry for 5 months. 
(I Also took out the soft material in the hollow core)
The fresh wood is kind of porous, wet and soft, but this will dry very quickly into a much harder type of wood.

Anyway, below the pictures how it turned out:
Its a quite fast bow, not sure if that comes from the hollow limb design or the used wood
Dimensions & weight: 73 inches long, almost 2 inches at widest point and draws 70 lbs at 31 inches.
Since the wood is just white, I coloured the belly with some waterbased ink.
Hope you like how it turned out!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MYjUmqCJmclxezaYSZrkEJdrlAnFsvaS/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ExwdaYbwXpH_07-ACtjITWeZY3fG9Q06/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ObOopYlUtOHKsWq2boMCd_PYGx5eKqEn/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YGK5PChjJOs11halq6BOY6Ix5KmdQBoC/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GGcPH5_HZ08kWNiFL-m-t2g1mYhhM906/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18iPJHUjiKN85mjWyutul2j76DVymJc7F/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15M40M_wew6kBc_mVDXjQOgOhxyhVXc42/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lVv0UfjRudl-68FwRWDR8SizRwo0ZAVz/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O39Egpc3dTWsa3DnqdMpnNHJWMVH-f3x/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1czvv6GwPPOFMsedoGy3OVYrHoRPDikjs/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uRN4akvyPuCOE9xU1lifs-oc_F33Xsz3/view?usp=sharing



Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: simk on October 21, 2018, 01:06:19 pm
Whoohaaa Mr. Pinaka longbows, you are playing top league with that one!!!
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Del the cat on October 21, 2018, 01:42:16 pm
Very nice, I'm working on an Elder stave, hope it turns out as good as yours!
Del
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: upstatenybowyer on October 21, 2018, 01:52:54 pm
Very nice.  8)
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: FilipT on October 21, 2018, 01:53:06 pm
Cool looking bow, I made elderberry bow just once as it is like you said, hard to find good sized sapling even though it grows literally everywhere around me. Supposedly you can even make heavy warbows out it, interesting wood indeed.
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: leonwood on October 21, 2018, 02:01:49 pm
Welcome at PA Erik! Nice to see you here as well ;) But about the bow: I saw it in person and the pictures don’t do it justice. It is even more beautiful in real life!
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Pinaka longbows on October 22, 2018, 09:07:56 am
Thanks,
And yess my fotographing skills are about the same as my computer skills ....kind of lost on both  :-[
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: ohma2 on October 22, 2018, 11:23:26 am
Thats a beauty for sure ,been lookin around here for a piece.
i can find the right diam, but not enough length.
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Hans H on October 22, 2018, 12:49:10 pm
hi,
indeed a very nice bow, congrats
Hans
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: backtowood B2W on October 24, 2018, 01:28:35 pm
Really nice! I love that hole in the handle!
I have a peace drying, it's a branch 2" diameter, maybe 60" long and,   !!! 15" reflex !!!
Will this make a bow?
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: lleroy on October 25, 2018, 01:25:52 am
That is a very beautiful bow. I like the colors on the belly!
Could you describe how you make the hollow limbs, and how you tiller such a design? In particular, what tools do you use to do so?
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Jim Davis on October 26, 2018, 08:40:43 am
And for those of us who are lazy, why not post the images directly to  PA?
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Weylin on October 26, 2018, 03:58:34 pm
I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of displaying the pictures for you so everyone can see your cool bow.   :)

(https://i.imgur.com/3kHJnDw.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/mRfkYee.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/S5pkYHR.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/2ovNXlz.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/exaAd72.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/TQLV0BK.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/WWhmSHq.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/5jWwib1.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/a0axWwM.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/s4ok6E8.jpg)
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Pinaka longbows on October 27, 2018, 03:02:51 am
Thanks Weylin, for posting these pics for people to see them directly! 
(sorry, i am not so handy in posting pictures)
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Pinaka longbows on October 27, 2018, 03:08:42 am
Really nice! I love that hole in the handle!
I have a peace drying, it's a branch 2" diameter, maybe 60" long and,   !!! 15" reflex !!!
Will this make a bow?

I have recently heard that someone made a recurve out of Elderberry, so i guess some reflex add to the good properties of this wood.
Although 15 inches is quite a lot on 60 inch length, I didn't try to heat bend it so not sure if its correctable.
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: selfbow joe on October 27, 2018, 07:25:43 am
Very cool looking bow
Title: Re: 70 lbs Elderberry Hollow limb
Post by: Pinaka longbows on October 27, 2018, 12:25:34 pm
That is a very beautiful bow. I like the colors on the belly!
Could you describe how you make the hollow limbs, and how you tiller such a design? In particular, what tools do you use to do so?

Its really not that hard to make a hollow limb, i used a round chisel for roughing it out and continued with a round cabinet scraper, takes some time but is well worth the effort. Tillering is mostly done on high sides.
Good luck!