ERC stave

[JW_Halverson]

So I got a lovely Eastern Red Cedar stave from Ty Branton. It was just cut a few months ago, so it will nap quietly in the corner for a few years first. It has a metric crapload of sapwood and I am considering using a bandsaw to shear it off.

My question is whether a sapwood only ERC bow would be worth pursuing?

[Pappy]

Sap wood makes a great bow, in fact the only true self bows from ERC I have made was sap wood, heart wood will make a bow but be sure and wear a helmet when tillering, I blame my short draw problem on starting on with ERC heart wood. 
 Pappy

[Hamish]

JW, Those rings look quite thick, easy enough to follow a growth ring. You could take off enough sapwood, leaving 1 or2 sapwood rings for a backing.

[JW_Halverson]

JW, Those rings look quite thick, easy enough to follow a growth ring. You could take off enough sapwood, leaving 1 or2 sapwood rings for a backing.

I've thought of that, too. Maybe a thin doe rawhide backing over the sapwood for a measure of insurance?

[Pat B]

I got to shoot an ERC all sapwood ELB a few years ago and I was impressed. It took a small amount of set after many shots and if I remember correctly it was 45#@28".
 If you have enough heartwood I think sinew backing is the way to go. I wouldn't use heartwood only for a selfbow.

[willie]

given that the demarcation between sapwood and heartwood in erc doesnt always follow  a grownth ring, can anyone say with experience whether there is much benifit to having sapwood on the back?

if some heartwood is exposed when reducing the sapwood, maybe not such a problem, especially if backed with sinew or such?
https://sapwoodwoorks.com/cdn/shop/files/image_50422273.jpg?v=1713968033&width=1946

[Hamish]

Saxton Pope highly rated ERC backed with hickory, so that's another option. What style of bow do you want to make JW?

[pierce_schmeichel]

Definitely back the bow with sinew.

[Stickhead]

I’ve made my share of ERC self bows, and they are definitely high-risk.   That said, I’ve found that the sapwood helps in tension, while the heartwood is better under compression to limit set, a bit like yew.  It is possible, but difficult, to follow a ring, but if you can manage it and keep roughly 50/50 sapwood to heartwood thickness, you’ll have a good chance of an optimal ERC self bow.  And it’ll look gorgeous!

[PaulN/KS]

The sapwood is the "best" part for making a bow but the heartwood smells nicest. 
I seem to remember Ryan Yoon making/working on a ERC bow at Mojam some years back..?
I believe he backed it though in the end.

[JW_Halverson]

Saxton Pope highly rated ERC backed with hickory, so that's another option. What style of bow do you want to make JW?

Haven't a clue. It was only cut a few months ago, so I believe it should spend two years talking to my before any decisions get made

[Stickhead]

ERC dries pretty rapidly.  You can check the moisture, but I’d say six months in a dry-ish environment is ample.

[mullet]

I got to shoot the same bow I think Pat was talking about. If it's the same bow it was made from a 9


























I got to shoot the same bow I think Pat is talking about. It was quite fast and was made from a 9" sapling and still had a little heartwood on the belly. I have made several cedar self bows but only from very straight, limb and knot free staves. And like Pappy said, fun to tiller. When it feels like it doesn't want to be pulled father don't try to squeeze another quarter inch out of it.
A bamboo backed heartwood also makes a fine bow.














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