Just finished new ERC longbow…

[Dan Sweeney]

#3287

Just (mostly) finished up a new ERC longbow. 74″, 50#@28″. Shoots pretty well. Needs sanding and finishing. Almost a twin to the 66″er I made a couple years ago, but several inches longer.

[David Petersen]

#18414

That’s just about as long a longbow as I’ve ever heard of, at last since Agincourt. 😀 Tiller looks right on the money. But I’m curious why you build ’em so long? Certainly shouldn’t be any stack problems! 😛 I’m itching to get back to building again myself, but not until I get a heated workshop. I got tired of the frozen feet in winter.

[Dan Sweeney]

#18507

You mostly answered your question. 😉 No stack, smooth draw. Very forgiving and accurate. And, with ERC, it’s just safer for the wood. It’s a great wood, but not real tension strong like hickory or elm. I build most of my bows from 66″-72″. Added a couple to this one though.

[Stephen Graf]

#19046

Very nice! There’s something about a nice long long bow. I’ve been stuck in the 68 inch range the last few years. let us know how it shoots!

[David Coulter]

#19053

What’s ERC? thanks, dwc

[Dan Sweeney]

#19576

ERC is Easter Red Cedar. It’s actually a juniper species and makes a great bow when you can find a piece that will work.

[David Coulter]

#19606

Thanks, Dan. Eastern Red Cedar is pretty common here. I’m in eastern PA. It grows in the medial strip between the interstates. There’s tons of it along Interstate 80 east of Delaware Water Gap. Harvesting might be a little tricky though. I used to go along with a local state forester when he measured trees to find the county champions. The largest Eastern Red Cedar grows behind an old church along the river. Easter Red Cedar didn’t hold much promise among the locals when I was a kid. It was treated more light a week than a tree. dwc

[Michael Scott]

#27393

Dan Z.,

I would like to pick your brain a little bit about building with western juniper (brother to the ERC). I have an 8′ log I brought to TX with me from Montana, and just recently got it out and split it in half. Which is where I ran into an issue with the wood. It does a full 180 degree twist in 8′ of length. What can be done with this piece of wood as far as building a bow? A couple guys have suggested cutting laminate strips out of it, somebody else suggested finding a the straightest parts and gluing them together to make a straight stave. Any ideas or suggestions? Or is there a possibility that I could still turn this into a single piece self bow? Thanks.

[Author]

Posts