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Author Topic: Cedar Board Bow Help  (Read 3548 times)

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Offline Utmostcone

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Cedar Board Bow Help
« on: January 05, 2013, 04:36:49 pm »
Hello all. I want your opinion on my board bow plan. I want to make a Pyramid style bow (out of Cedar). I have a board already with very straight grain no knots. its 72'' long 3'' wide. I plan on making a 4'' grip. the limbs beginning at 3'' wide near the grip and tapering to 1/2'' or 3/4'' at the tips. I don't know when to start tapering the limbs down though, should i start at mid limb or sooner? Also i'm going to glue on a handle using LePage Pro Carpenters Glue, i hope it holds up  :-\ .
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Boe a hyn: neled herain, dan caer menig?
Nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer.

Offline ionicmuffin

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2013, 04:41:12 pm »
what type of ceder is it?!
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Amo innectis arcus- I love crafting bows (latin)

Offline Utmostcone

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2013, 04:47:42 pm »
Im not 100% sure but i think its Eastern Red Cedar. its got a sort of very light pink/brown color
« Last Edit: January 05, 2013, 04:56:35 pm by Utmostcone »
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Nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2013, 06:12:15 pm »
What does it smell like?  ;D
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline ionicmuffin

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2013, 06:34:32 pm »
ive always wondered if you could make a bow using hickory and western red ceder
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Amo innectis arcus- I love crafting bows (latin)

Offline Utmostcone

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2013, 06:35:01 pm »
^^ it smells like cedar :D idk the difference in smell between western and eastern
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Boe a hyn: neled herain, dan caer menig?
Nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer.

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2013, 06:46:14 pm »
If it doesn't smell very strong and very very good, it is likely not ERC. ERC is also kinda purple.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Utmostcone

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2013, 06:49:30 pm »
oh well  :-\. im going to go along with it anyway to see how it turns out. would heat treating the belly make it better any? also i'll back it with linen or silk
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Boe a hyn: neled herain, dan caer menig?
Nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer.

Offline ionicmuffin

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2013, 07:27:04 pm »
i highly suggest backing it with something like hickory or rawhide to avoid any breaks at all.
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Amo innectis arcus- I love crafting bows (latin)

Offline okie64

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2013, 09:16:51 pm »
Its hard to see the color in the pic but it looks like western cedar. Western cedar is weak and brittle and wont make a decent bow even if it is backed with something else. Save yourself the time and effort and dont mess with it. If its erc it can be backed with sinew, rawhide or hickory an make a good bow. Erc will have a purplish color to it.
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Offline Utmostcone

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2013, 09:49:50 pm »
I haven't reduced the board any and it is already floor tillered. its bending just slightly.since I'm in the eastern part of the continent I guessed that ERC would be more common but perhaps not.
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Boe a hyn: neled herain, dan caer menig?
Nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer.

Offline Utmostcone

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2013, 10:31:57 pm »
thanks for the advice:) ,and if it does break (or rather when it does break) i may just glue it back together if its not too bad and hang it on the wall.... or burn it  >:D
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Boe a hyn: neled herain, dan caer menig?
Nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer.

Offline Weylin

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2013, 10:47:00 pm »
Honestly I don't think you should waste your precious time on that. Even if all you have is a Home Depot you can spend $6 for an oak board and have a fair chance at making a decent shooter. There are some things that are worth the gamble and some that aren't. Western red cedar is not, in my opinion. It's just not cut out to be a bow.
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Offline paulsemp

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2013, 11:09:02 pm »
Tried it once a long time ago and I would of had a better chance of making a bow out of a 2x4
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Offline Utmostcone

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Re: Cedar Board Bow Help
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2013, 11:44:02 pm »
this will be an experiment for me to test paper bag backing and to work on my handle shaping abilitys
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Boe a hyn: neled herain, dan caer menig?
Nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer.
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