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Author Topic: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar  (Read 5702 times)

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Offline ricktrojanowski

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100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« on: May 11, 2008, 07:57:43 am »
My family is cleaning out my Grandfathers house who recently passed away.  In the corner of the basement I found a really straight, ERC post about 5' tall, about 7" diameter with the bark still on.  All of the posts in the cellar are ERC.  I'm guessing this was one they took out or was not used in the building of the house.  The house is over 100 years old.  Do you think this is wood it too old?  It looks like it has very few knots, and no bug damage that I can see.

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Traverse City, MI

Offline DanaM

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2008, 09:36:25 am »
use it rick, man what away to remember your grandfather :)
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"Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things."

Manistique, MI

Offline 1/2primitive

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2008, 10:43:04 am »
Ditto.
    Sean
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Dallas/Fort Worth Tx.

Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2008, 11:02:40 am »
I hope to make a shootable bow out of it for sure.  I think I'll  back it with something to be safe. 
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Traverse City, MI

Minuteman

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2008, 11:14:35 am »
I'd use some medium thick rawhide for the backing. 100 years is some old wood.
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salad days

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2008, 11:16:13 am »
I love my gandpa's bow. Making one out of your grandpa's house is next level!!!
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Offline sailordad

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2008, 11:27:25 am »
i was thinking of bamboo backing myself,you can keep it real thin and still get great protection and performance.
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i always wanted a harley,untill it became the "thing to ride"
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Offline welch2

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2008, 12:21:58 pm »
I vote for sinew ,it's a special piece of wood . and cedar loves sinew .

Ralph
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Offline Pat B

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2008, 12:29:10 pm »
Go for it. grandpa knew what he was doing when he left it there.  ;)  I would go with a raw hide backing like Chris said or possibly sinew like Ralph(if you have worked with sinew before) but I believe boo would possible be too overpowering. With a stave you want to follow the back contour and rawhide and sinew follow that bill.
   Enjoy the process and listen to what Grandpa has to say as you make his bow.  8)        Pat
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

DBernier

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2008, 05:13:25 pm »
Rick, I would go with the rawhide or sinew also. Bamboo is a bit unpredictable in that even carefull sanding/scraping on the back will not insure you will not pull up a splinter. I have found if the bow is longer than 66" the likelyhood of lifting a splinter is diminished slightly. Love the look of the boo on the back though.

Dick
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jamie

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2008, 12:23:42 am »
if ya want sinew ive got some ya can have for it rick. peace
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Offline Coo-wah-chobee

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2008, 01:08:29 am »
Like welch2 said....bob
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2008, 01:49:52 am »
Wow! What a way to honor your Grandfather's memory. Jawge
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Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2008, 06:31:06 pm »
Thanks for the input guys I really appreciate the encouragement.  I debarked it yesterday, and spit it in half.  Never having worked with ERC I am concerned with its "brittleness" . It seems sooooo dry, light and brittle.  Is this the case with cedar? 
 
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Traverse City, MI

jamie

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Re: 100 year old Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2008, 07:48:01 pm »
yup. it does make a hell of a bow though. you want that sinew ill put it aside for ya
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