Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Woodbutcher on November 22, 2008, 02:44:39 pm
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Gentlemen:
A little advice please. The local Home Depot has two varieties of cedar for sale. One is packaged in about four foot lengths and is aromatic, but you can't see the grain. What can be seen is lots of knots and runouts, great for lining a closet.
The other is individual boards in different widths about six to eight feet long. Not aromatic, different color, but the grain is there to see. Some pieces look very promising.
Is there enough difference in the two species to matter for a hickory backed bow?
I would think that the packaged wood is Eastern Red Cedar, but I don't know what species the boards are. Woodbutcher
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ERC is pretty good bow wood, but from what I've heard, the other varieties aren't very good. If you could find some of the ERC boards that are fairly clear, you could splice them, glue on a hickory backing and probably wind up with a bow.
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Cedar is a generic name in a sense, up here in northern michigan cedar is northern white cedar useless for bows, I believe ERC
is actually a juniper.
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The packaged variety is usually Eastern Red Cedar. It is sold as closet liner, etc. Sometimes around here you can find mailbox post sets made of ERC 4x4's. The Board form of cedar is usually western red cedar, and at .33 or so Specific Gravity, it's really to light for bows. ( At least that's what's commonly said, since I haven't tried it I can't say more)
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Thank you gentlemen, Woodbutcher
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Eastern red cedar(Virginian juniper) and souther red cedar are junipers.
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i tried a bow out of wrc once. it litterally crushed at first brace.
Phil
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I'm putting the finishing touches on a poplar backed ERC R/D. The bow shoots really well and smells good to.LOL