eastern red cedar build

[Muleman]

got a few eastern red cedar staves 76" long,what kind of dimenisons should i built a wood like this,i was gonna build flatbow design about 70" ntn hopefully around 45lb at 28 is that ok,seems like alot of erc builds are elb,everybody says to back this wood can i get by with rawhide or should i back with sinew?thanks for the help, Mule.

[Pat B]

Rawhide will work but if there are knots in it you may have a problem. I think an all sapwood bow would work fine too if there are no knots.

[gutpile]

finding a erc stave free of knots is rare but not impossible.. you can lay knots in handle area and be fine..laying in fade is also acceptable but I'd steer away if possible erc and sinew are like peas and carrots.IMO... they just go together so well... rawhide will protect back but not induce reflex like sinew would... erc is great on compression but tension isn't all that great.. you can make a unbacked bow.. it has been done.. even in 120 lb range.. but when erc blows it blows violently...erc is so light in hand you hardly know your toting it... my experience with erc is massive failure, blew to smitherings.. was backed with maple that had a pin knot, perry reflexed was tilled to 20 inches and I went to brace and boom... dang I wanted that bow, all heartwood was beautiful... my next attempt was from a stave.. all sapwood lil heartwood at handle... sinew backed shorty..60" flipped tips... 48@28 screamer... I draw 26.5... hunting caliper.. came out very nice... I tilled bow on longstring  to about 20" then sinewed it... hung a 25 lb weight from handle tips rested on two high chairs.. she held all the reflex..lost a tad in final tillering but man that bow is nice... I flipped the tips and ended up adding timber rattler skins... to me erc is a great wood if worked properly .. if you have the skills and dodads to unback it it can be done...