« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Eastern Red Cedar  (Read 3238 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline arcangel

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
Eastern Red Cedar
« on: February 24, 2012, 04:40:53 pm »
hello new to forum. Hope to learn much from you guys. Introducing myself a little bit. I have erc stave that is 74 inches long. I plan on making elb at least 65 pounds. I read that the sapwood backing that you should chase the ring on the back. I have only really worked with staves of whitewood. And if I plan on  rawhide backing it does it matter if I violate the back of sapwood. Thanks for your time and opinions. :)
Logged

Offline tattoo dave

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,545
  • Rockford, MI
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2012, 04:46:29 pm »
Not sure arcangel, I make mostly board bows. But welcome to PA!! I'm sure somebody will chime in.

Tattoo Dave
Logged
Rockford, MI

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,633
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2012, 05:37:32 pm »
If you think the sapwood is too thick then reduce it trying your best not to violate a ring. If you do violate the ring then add a rawhide dacking and you should be good to go. The rawhide will blend in pretty well with the light colored sapwood.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline arcangel

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2012, 07:21:05 pm »
So if i try to stay as close to the same ring as possible and i still back it with rawhide I should be fine :).I try my best.thx
Logged

Offline sweeney3

  • Member
  • Posts: 277
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2012, 07:47:16 pm »
Yeah, if you can minimize the violations, that would be good.  It'll be tough to get perfect, those are thin rings.  I used a fine file and a knife tip as a scraper.  The rawhide will help a lot of course.  ERC is great wood but can't be bullied too much.
Logged

Offline arcangel

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2012, 08:22:13 pm »
 :)
Logged

Offline arcangel

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2012, 12:55:00 pm »
For some reason my post did not post. :( Sorry. But I have the erc sapwood down to 1/2 inch. And the depth at the handle is 1 1/4 inch but when i taper it down to 5/8 inch for tips There barely seems to be any heartwood mostly sapwood. MY question is, should I whittle the sapwood to 1/4 inch throughtout the whole bow or should I leave it as it is. I just don't want to waste that beautiful heartwood for the bow.Thx for your opinions and advice.
Logged

Offline Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,676
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2012, 01:03:23 pm »
chased mine down to roughly 1\4 inch because i wanted mostly heartwood aswell. I nearly chased it to 1 ring and blew it at the end, violating a ring, but i tillered and shot the bow numerous times without backing and itshot great. I later decided to back it with sinew just to be safe.....but i dont think it needed it, next time I am really going to go for 1 ring all the way..incredibly tough to do on cedar, but I nearly did it and I will do it next time.  I wont back it next time either.  I want to see how unbacked cedar with 1 ring backe can hold up long term.   but here is the one I built this past month    btw its from a sapling so the heartwood core is radiused and so it looks like there is way more than 1\4" of sapwood.
Logged
Formerly "twistedlimbs"
Gill's Primitive Archery and HuntPrimitive

Offline arcangel

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2012, 11:18:41 pm »
Post with somewhat clear pics. What i have done so far. I got it rounded with it still slight flat belly about 1/8inch flat. It bends slightly but feels strong to me. I still have to rasp the back so here it is.Thx for old replies and new ones. :)
Logged

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,633
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2012, 11:30:05 pm »
That is a sweet ERC stave. That only knot couldn't be in a better place. Are those clamp marks along the sides of your stave. A wood pad under the clamps will eliminate that.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline arcangel

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2012, 11:35:16 pm »
Yeah  :)/ The wood I used did this if you can believe that. I was rasping the belly to round it and when I was done is saw the edge had went into thewood. I kinda of overbuilt this stave it ranges from 1-1/8 width at handle to 1" at tips so kind of overbuilt. I just hope this works. Since this is my first time with this design. :)
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »