Cedar/Juniper Selfbow Guidance

[va]

Hello to all the Bowyers on this site who I have stolen ideas from... I mean borrowed!

I have some cedar (maybe juniper) from a storm damaged tree at Dad's place.  I have experience making one locust selfbow that refused to die and several osage selfbows.  The early osage efforts were pretty ugly BUT I eventually got to where I made a couple worth shooting.  Now to the request.

ANYONE with experience with cedar selfbows can chime in with their lessons learned (mistakes, failures, etc.) and successes.  Then I will do the work and show the result.

This may take a couple weeks because of drying time and work-related travel BUT I promise to show the real result whether or not I am proud of it.

thanks in advance.

va

[Pat B]

Eastern Red Cedar(ERC) is not a true cedar but a juniper(J. virginiana). It will make a good bow. I have made a few but one, an ELB style bow, blew at a knot. Hickory backed ERC is supposed to make a very fast shooting light in hand bow.
  In my shop I have a 49" ERC stave roughed out that is 1/2 heart-1/2 sapwood that I am going to sinew back it at some point in the future.
  I believe ERC dries relatively fast but if you can wait a year you will have a better stave to work with.
   For an ERC selfbow, I would back it with rawhide or silk just for giggles.

[va]

PatB -

You are a master so i know i got some good info.

My plan is to get as many staves as I can that are at least 2" wide.  Then let them dry (taking precautions for checking).  THEN I will start on designs.

I draw 28+ when my anchor isn't floating out there somewhere.  Will ERC let me go shorter than 60"NTN?

I have sinew and deer rawhide, as well as a variety of fibers, so the backing options are covered.

can't wait to start.

[Pat B]

With a sinew backing you can go below 60". I'm hoping my 49" stave will make 26".  I'm no expert and especially not with ERC but I've seen some nice ERC bows.

[va]

anyone? anyone?  Buehler?

Thanks Pat B. I value your sage (or should I say no-osage) advice.

Surely there are others with 2-cents worth of advice.

The more the merrier.

va

[troutremble]

Sorry VA' don't mean to hijack; I am watching this thread as I just cut a juniper tree and got three staves 60+" long. Dont want to screw them up like I did my first attempt as I wont have access to juniper any more where I'm moving. I'll just watch, thanks.