Alaskan yellow cedar core lam

[Sagebrush]

Hey guys.  I am working my way into some tri lam bows and I have maple and walnut for a few cores.  I also have access to some beautiful tight grained Alaskan yellow cedar.  Is this too light for a core lam?  It has made some wicked arrow shafts.  Thanks for your thoughts.

[PatM]

I've heard of it being used as a core in glassed  longbows.

[simk]

i have used larch between yew and ash once. but only around 40# - not sure if its strong enough for higher stressed bows - shear strength is not the best with those woods...

[Hamish]

Harrison, a glass bowyer did some experiments with softwood(not yew though, yew is good) for cores. They shot well but didn't have the durability of hardwoods or bamboo. Apparently the softwoods work hardened. I can't remember if they failed in shear, though it sounds likely.

Walnut and maple are durable core woods in shear stress. Walnut is prettier.

[Bryce]

I wouldn’t use yellow cedar for anything other than carving masks and bentwood boxes.

[BowEd]

I generally like using denser wood for cores.Although I've got friends that use red cedar as a core for FG bows with success all because the wood is so pretty.I've seen lower density elm and black walnut get crushed before.Could be design flaw though too.

[bownarra]

Stick with the maple and walnut - both are perfect core woods.

[Sagebrush]

Thanks for your responses!  I figured it would be a bit soft for heavy bows.  Bryce do you not even like it for arrows???  My friend has literally a ton of planks from a salvaged Columbia river tree.  The arrows I've made over the last week are stupid strait and just a bit lighter spined than port orford cedar of the same diameter.  Again thanks guys.

[DC]

It's a nice wood for a lot of things. I love the smell but some people hate it.

[Bryce]

Thanks for your responses!  I figured it would be a bit soft for heavy bows.  Bryce do you not even like it for arrows???  My friend has literally a ton of planks from a salvaged Columbia river tree.  The arrows I've made over the last week are stupid strait and just a bit lighter spined than port orford cedar of the same diameter.  Again thanks guys.

Would be okay for kids shafts