Question on Rawhide backing on ERC.

[chesjen]

I saw some mighty pretty pictures of a few ERC bows on here so i went and found a clean one cutt it down and started on a bow. I didnt have any rawhide, or enough sinew so I backed it with "linen" from walmart, which i found out is really cotton. So here is my question, this is a nice piece of cedar I would like for it to work out, Will the cotton be enough of a backing? Or, should i apply Rawhide? If i do put rawhide on (I bought one of those big dawgbones) can i just put it over top the cotton? Thanks, for any help.
Chester

[Auggie]

Your cotton backing will most likely be fine,unless you are really pushing the limits,what are the specs of the bow? And the one time I tried the dog bone thing,it turned out to be three pieces wound up,thick and not at all what I wanted.Oh,you might want to "cook" your done bone out side it tends to smell.

[chesjen]

The specs its 68" ntn, 1.25 for most of the limbs tapering at tips, havent began to tiller but i would like to get 45 to 50 lbs. out of her, we will see. I saw a build along, i think on this site, for a erc elb, but it was wider than a elb and was backed with rawhide, i was thinking of something along those lines, but a little wider.  i am pretty new to this and most of the time i end up coming in light. Never messed with erc before but it sure is pretty, I have lots of it around, so i guess if this one goes snap it wont be a big deal.

I soaked the bone, and it has two long pieces, enough it seems to join in the handle, but it is awful thick in spots, guess will have to thin it before if i aim to use it.

Thanks for the reply, will just use the cotton and see what happens, if it works out i will try to get a pic posted.

[Pat B]

The cotton should be fine. Did you saturate it with glue? What glue did you use?     Pat

[chesjen]

Yes its saturated, Are you supposed to? used Tb3. Aint all that attractive but maybe i can think of something if the bow survives and makes it to the rack.

[whitewoodshunter]

I just finished a ERC , smells real good don't it. Is the stave free of knots and blemishes?

[chesjen]

Well about as free as can be of knots and blemishes, there are some really small knots that come out the side, but i believe they will for the most part work out when i begin to tiller it. I will try to get some pics friday and post a few. There is so much of the stuff around here and it is really pretty and smells right nice, problem is most is full of knots, but there is enough around to find some good ones.

Wish i were better at tree identification, because i would like to find some local woods besides hickory and oak to work with. i have a good source for osage, a friend brings a couple logs down from ohio and i buy his out of state license to turkey hunt in the spring. Just want to find some other woods to work with.