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Author Topic: Eastern Red Cedar  (Read 3241 times)

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Offline arcangel

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Eastern Red Cedar
« on: February 24, 2012, 04:40:53 pm »
hello new to forum. Hope to learn much from you guys. Introducing myself a little bit. I have erc stave that is 74 inches long. I plan on making elb at least 65 pounds. I read that the sapwood backing that you should chase the ring on the back. I have only really worked with staves of whitewood. And if I plan on  rawhide backing it does it matter if I violate the back of sapwood. Thanks for your time and opinions. :)
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Offline tattoo dave

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2012, 04:46:29 pm »
Not sure arcangel, I make mostly board bows. But welcome to PA!! I'm sure somebody will chime in.

Tattoo Dave
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Rockford, MI

Offline Pat B

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2012, 05:37:32 pm »
If you think the sapwood is too thick then reduce it trying your best not to violate a ring. If you do violate the ring then add a rawhide dacking and you should be good to go. The rawhide will blend in pretty well with the light colored sapwood.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline arcangel

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2012, 07:21:05 pm »
So if i try to stay as close to the same ring as possible and i still back it with rawhide I should be fine :).I try my best.thx
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Offline sweeney3

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2012, 07:47:16 pm »
Yeah, if you can minimize the violations, that would be good.  It'll be tough to get perfect, those are thin rings.  I used a fine file and a knife tip as a scraper.  The rawhide will help a lot of course.  ERC is great wood but can't be bullied too much.
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Offline arcangel

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2012, 08:22:13 pm »
 :)
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Offline arcangel

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2012, 12:55:00 pm »
For some reason my post did not post. :( Sorry. But I have the erc sapwood down to 1/2 inch. And the depth at the handle is 1 1/4 inch but when i taper it down to 5/8 inch for tips There barely seems to be any heartwood mostly sapwood. MY question is, should I whittle the sapwood to 1/4 inch throughtout the whole bow or should I leave it as it is. I just don't want to waste that beautiful heartwood for the bow.Thx for your opinions and advice.
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Offline Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2012, 01:03:23 pm »
chased mine down to roughly 1\4 inch because i wanted mostly heartwood aswell. I nearly chased it to 1 ring and blew it at the end, violating a ring, but i tillered and shot the bow numerous times without backing and itshot great. I later decided to back it with sinew just to be safe.....but i dont think it needed it, next time I am really going to go for 1 ring all the way..incredibly tough to do on cedar, but I nearly did it and I will do it next time.  I wont back it next time either.  I want to see how unbacked cedar with 1 ring backe can hold up long term.   but here is the one I built this past month    btw its from a sapling so the heartwood core is radiused and so it looks like there is way more than 1\4" of sapwood.
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Formerly "twistedlimbs"
Gill's Primitive Archery and HuntPrimitive

Offline arcangel

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2012, 11:18:41 pm »
Post with somewhat clear pics. What i have done so far. I got it rounded with it still slight flat belly about 1/8inch flat. It bends slightly but feels strong to me. I still have to rasp the back so here it is.Thx for old replies and new ones. :)
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2012, 11:30:05 pm »
That is a sweet ERC stave. That only knot couldn't be in a better place. Are those clamp marks along the sides of your stave. A wood pad under the clamps will eliminate that.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline arcangel

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Re: Eastern Red Cedar
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2012, 11:35:16 pm »
Yeah  :)/ The wood I used did this if you can believe that. I was rasping the belly to round it and when I was done is saw the edge had went into thewood. I kinda of overbuilt this stave it ranges from 1-1/8 width at handle to 1" at tips so kind of overbuilt. I just hope this works. Since this is my first time with this design. :)
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