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Author Topic: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...  (Read 2337 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« on: December 06, 2012, 11:17:06 pm »
I'm lookin to make a backed cedar elb. I was walking around wookcrafters today, and the spanish cedar was just gorgeous. I don't know how spanish cedar does as a bow, but I am seriously thinking of making an elb out of it. I was wondering what would be a good choice to back it with? Hickory? Would hickory be too powerful? Maple? White Oak?  :o
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline DavidV

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2012, 12:17:41 am »
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/cedar,%20spanish.htm

You may want to read this. It doesn't sound like a very good bow wood even if backed.
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Springfield, MO

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2012, 12:51:38 am »
Quote from: DavidV on December 07, 2012, 12:17:41 am
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/cedar,%20spanish.htm

You may want to read this. It doesn't sound like a very good bow wood even if backed.

Hmm, well I guess there is always ERC.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Roy

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2012, 02:13:12 am »
I didn't think ELB's were supposed to be backed?
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Offline randman

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2012, 05:10:28 am »
Spanish cedar (or Cuban Cedar) is soft and beautiful to carve. Used to make cigar boxes and Classical guitar necks. Got real doubts about using it as bow material. Having worked with it before, I would think if you backed it with hickory or some other tension strong wood it would just crush it.
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2012, 06:47:57 am »
Quote from: Roy on December 07, 2012, 02:13:12 am
I didn't think ELB's were supposed to be backed?
ELBs (and warbows) are traditionally Yew heart wood with their natural sapwood as the back.
The Victorian style of ELB was often Lemonwood backed with Hickory.
Del
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Offline Hrothgar

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2012, 08:41:30 am »
If you can get hold of some eastern red cedar, which is techically a juniper, this can work. And maybe back it with leather.
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" To be, or not to be"...decisions, decisions, decisions.

blackhawk

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2012, 09:46:36 am »
I have a sneaking suspicion that you and Spanish cedar will not get along well and be the best of friends  :laugh:
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Offline killir duck

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2012, 12:45:06 pm »
i'd skip it and get some ERC and back it with heavy rawhide
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2012, 01:55:31 pm »
I have some eally nice curly maple in 1x4 and I have been wanting to get my mitts on some spanish cedar to go with it.  Thinking a nice cigar humidor would be in order.  ...since neither makes a good bow!
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2012, 03:29:13 pm »
Alrighty, I will just say no to the spanish cedar,  ;D. ERC it is.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2012, 03:57:34 pm »
ERC makes a nice cigar box/humidor too, but it's not so smooth to work with as Cuban Cedar.

OneBow
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Offline DavidV

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Re: Looking to make a "something" backed cedar elb...
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2012, 06:14:51 pm »
Anybody else hate common names???

Eastern Red Cedar is a juniper, Spanish Cedar is mahogany. It's pretty hard to tell other students in your Nursery and Lanscaping class that what they've been calling cedar their whole life is actually something called juniper... and in fact there aren't even true cedars growing here.
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Springfield, MO
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