New to the forum

[MMBikemike]

Hello all, I'm new to comment but have been in here learning for quite a while.  Over the past several months I have been working on self bows, following the adventures of Sam and the poor folks bows.  Like Sam my workplace is the back porch.  I've made 4 so far, 3 red oak board bows and the last I found a nice grained hickory wheelbarrow handle and ripped staves out of it and fish tailed them to get my length.  I also have 4 nice pieces of wall art as they have all blown mid may through the upper limb.  All tillered nice, must be something I'm doing or maybe not nice enough grain throughout.
Wanting something to shoot I looked at the backyard bowyers' site and built a "50 pound take down" that is actually very nice and will keep me busy while I'm waiting on some ERC to dry.  
I'm not giving up on wood bows, I have been addicted at this point!
The ERC i have drying is a pole and I am going to stay simple and work for about 30# at 68" with a 28" draw.  It has been cut for about a month now, I sealed the ends at first and last week peeled the bark and rough shaped it, then clamped her down to a 2 by to keep it somewhat straight. until I can work her.
How long should I wait before beginning work on this bow and should I heat treat the belly?  
Any ideas on why I keep blowing the upper limb?  I don't have the technology at this point to post pictures but when I figure that out I'll do it.  There is a reason I like the old ways!  Thanks in advance for any help or ideas.

[SportHunter]

Welcome to the bench.

[fujimo]

welcome- too bad yer an addict-oh well!! sorry for you!!- its terminal ya know!

[Chris Cole]

As another new bowyer and member hello and welcome!

[Buemaker]

   Welcome. Bue--.

[MMBikemike]

Thank you all, yes and addict I am!

[LittleBen]

Welcome. Number of questions you had there .... Let me try to touch on a few.

Why is your bow breaking nid limb in the upper limb?
- Hard to say without seeing the bow, but almost all bow failures come down to one of two things, or both. Improper/uneven tillering, or a poor/damaged/bad grain piece of wood. Try using a tillering gizmo.

How long shoudl the ERC dry?
- depends on how large a piece it is, obviously.
Whejn using ERC I usually cut the tree, split into staves, dry them for a few months, rough them out, dry for a while longer, then sinew back ... dry for a month or so. In short, a long time. You're probably talking about months or years unless its a roughed out blank, then you're probably talking weeks-few months. Longer is better because then you know its dry.

Also let me be the first to tell you that ERC is a fickle little bitch. Unless the grain is prefectly straight, knot free and the back is pristine, you need to back it (or at leas tyou'd be smart to). Sinew is not the place to try your first successful bow, it's time consuming, troublesome, expensive, and not conducive to living room bowyery. I'd leave that ERC to dry for a year, and in the mean time flesh out your skills on hickory or other cheap hardwood boards (oak, hard maple, ash, etc).

[takefive]

Welcome to the forum!  There is a wealth of information here.  Just a shot in the dark about your top limb breaking...There's a picture of a bow breaking in The Bowyer's Bible 4.  The bowyer didn't leave enough wood when he cut the arrow pass in and the crack started there then travelled to the upper limb where it separated mid limb.  Just another possibility.  Anyway, enjoy the forum and good luck on your ERC.

[MMBikemike]

Thanks for the input guys, I will certainly take all into consideration.  I have some hickory to split out and a small maple as well.  I found a supplier for dried/cured hardwood here in town and I'm gonna check them out for projects while waiting on this wood to season.  This site is great, a wealth of info, need to buy some books as well!

[Sharp Shooter]

Welcome to the addiction. Tony