Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stickhead on June 05, 2023, 04:55:08 pm
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I’m close to committing to putting 1/8th inch strip of Osage over an ERC roughed out bow (about 50/50 heartwood/sapwood). Anybody ever tried this combination? My last experiment, a hickory backed ERC, blew up. But the hickory was questionable, so I’m hoping the Osage will have enough tension strength to hold it together.
Yeah, I know, you want me to back it with sinew, but I’m not ready to go that route yet.
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I think I'd back an ERC bow with osage sapwood but I don't know about a 50/50 combo. Elm or maple might be a better option. IMO
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I think I'd back an ERC bow with osage sapwood but I don't know about a 50/50 combo. Elm or maple might be a better option. IMO
I meant that the ERC is 50/50, and the Osage strip would go on top of that. The Osage strip is 1/8” of heartwood.
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Would you be thinking of a single growth ring on the Osage or decrowned?
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Would you be thinking of a single growth ring on the Osage or decrowned?
Neither. It’s edge grain, cut perpendicular to the rings. The lines run pretty straight.
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My concern about osage, whether it is bias or edge grain is it is brittle and the possibility of a splinter lifting as a backing is higher. IMO.
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My concern about osage, whether it is bias or edge grain is it is brittle and the possibility of a splinter lifting as a backing is higher. IMO.
Hmm. Duly noted.
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Unlike other woods the early wood ring on osage is very weak and chalky. I haven't tried an edge grain osaeg backing so I am just speculating, a thin edge grain backing may be very weak.
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I don’t think you’ll Have an issue. Cedars compression Strength comes in its resilience and ability to spring back. But is very soft and is made to take that compression easy. So I don’t think you’ll be stressing the edge grain Osage enough to hurt anything. Especially considering edge grain Osage will make a solid bow in its own and it’s own compression resilience is higher than the ERC, so the back would be under more stress as a selfbow than as a backing in ERC.
I say try it and let us know how it does.
Kyle
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I've had the same experience as Pat. Tried it a couple times a few years ago and never had any luck with it.
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Well, I reckon I’ll try it as an experiment
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edge grain/quartersawn, carefully check the grain(not growth ring run, which is more prominent but can give you a false reading) on the side. Grain will be hard to see but it tells whether the board is actually straight grained, and not cut from a twisty tree, or out of parallel with the trunk.