Here is an elderberry sapling bow coming from a stave 60,5” long ( now 59” ntn) and only 1,5” in diameter (at handle). It had a large pith, the hole in the handle is the origin diameter. This diameter tapers out in the fades to a very pronounced groove, which then tapers into a triangular shape at about 4” before nock.
Elder is a very flexible wood and easy to work on, IMO it is a good bowwood and can definitely be used on HLD bows. This bow is very light by mass (only 332grams incl. string + hemp) and shoots great.
I made “finger-nail shaped” tip overlays for her, as elder is soft and I’m using thin strings. The handle is simple hemp wrapping. Elder wood is a bit boring, so the back is “dyed” with rubbed in earth pigments in the wet finish.
some dimensions:
length: 59″
brace: 5″
mass: 332 grams
w/d at handle: 24/33 mm
w/d:at fade: 40/19 mm (9 mm groove)
w/d midlimb: 39/16 mm (7 mm groove)
w/d at tip: 11/13 mm
stiff parts: 8″ at handle
3″ levers
