This idea really worked. I picked up on Robatoy's suggestion of sisal, and it fit in nicely with the cedar, much better than steel or plastic banding.
The sisal would have given me as much grief as anything else, but I did as you suggested, and banded it with only 9 pieces in, and then banged the last one in. Tight as... oh, that thought brought me back to my youth. Never ming how tight it was. It was very tight.
Thanks again for everyone's responses. Pics are here: