Eastern Red Cedar

[matte]

I like erc bows but I also think it isn,t the best choice for a bow. I can get a decent bow from erc if I am careful in selecting a tree. I prefer to remove all the sap wood and back the bow. The sap wood does not seem to do much for the bow and bulks it up more than I like. I haven't had one blow up but I have had close to two inches string follow.ERC is a challenge but when done properly you will be hard pressed to make a sweeter shooting bow. They are  light in the hand ,smooth as silk and they are gorgeous. The hardest part of making a bow from erc is finding a suitable tree.

[Stickhead]

James,

Personally, I like handles about 1 1/2" thick.  You can always glue another piece on the handle to give you more depth, like you might for a board bow.

If you're not going for too much weight and you're short on heartwood, you can make a nice shooting bow out of mostly sapwood.  It may tend to take some set.  Try to keep it as wide as you can to minimize this.  You can also offset this somewhat by bending in a bit of reflex in the tips with steam or dry heat, and end up with a slight R/D profile.