Eastern Red cedar stave? Picture added

[beetlebailey1977]

On backing with rawhide....would Titebond 3 work well?

[JW_Halverson]

I prefer the titebond (both II and III) over hide glue as it is not as slippery...it gets tacky faster and allows you to pull the rawhide tight as you wrap down the length of the limbs.

[Hrothgar]

ERC, like a couple other woods, tends to be a little oiley. Be sure to wipe it down with denatured alcohol or acetone before applying your rawhide.

[gutpile]

Excellent answers..ERC needs to be backed  for a hunting weight bow..will be light as a feather in hand...sinew and ERC just seem to go together...rawhide is IMO the next option...remove bark ..there is your back..do not try to chase a ring..unnecessary...you must follow the grain on the side regardless whether you back it......can't wait to see it finished ..good luck hope its a screamer...gut

[beetlebailey1977]

Good tips fellows....Thanks a lot.

[beetlebailey1977]

Planning on getting some update photos on here of this bow.  Hope to this week.

[youngbowyer]

marc st louis has made an excellent ERC Warbow(120lbs i think) you can check it out on the englishwarbow section of this forum

[Lombard]

If your sap wood is punky, or otherwise compromised, you will want to get rid of it. You can chase a ring from end to end as I did with this one. Actually chased two rings, as the stave had enough wood to yield two bows. Both of which will get deer rawhide backings.

[beetlebailey1977]

I am keeping the sapwood, just going to thin it down some then plan to back it with rawhide.  Roughed it in some more today.  The bow will be 68" long and 2 1/4" wide.  The last 10" of the tips will taper down to the nocks.  Would pin nocks work on the cedar?

[M-P]

Hi Beetle,   Yes pin nocks will work on cedar.   Since cedar does split easily you might want to wrap just below the shoulders of the nock with thread, or sinew.   Ron

[beetlebailey1977]

I may put on some tip overlays when I get to that step.  Would you put down the rawhide up to the overlays or under them?  I may use antler or hickory.

[JW_Halverson]

I'd lay the rawhide out over the tips and then lay the overlays over the rawhide, be sure to degrease the rawhide by washing with a little soapy water and/or acetone before glueing anything onto it.