Heavy board bow?

[AKmud]

So I am wanting to build a heavy bow (~80#).  I don't have access to any decent staves so I am limited to board bows.  I have successfully built a couple straight (unbacked) hickory longbows that weighed in around 60-65# but am leery about trying an 80#'r unbacked.  

Any ideas/suggestions for a guy with limited resources?  I have a few good hardwood shops around, but finding bamboo is difficult without ordering it from out of state.  I'm in Alaska btw.  

Thanks!

[Ryan Yoon]

Hickory is about one of the toughest woods you can use unbacked. As long as there is minimal grain violation on the back and the bow is well tillered you can probably get away with 80#s. Are you looking to make another longbow? What approximate dimensions?

[AKmud]

Yep, it will be another long bow.  Tentative plan will be 1 1/2" at the handle tapering down to 3/4" at the tips and an overall length of 72".

[4est trekker]

Ryan's right.  Although I don't weigh much more than 80#'s soaking wet, I've built a couple of bows at that weight for a few guys.  Hickory does tolerate grain violation more than most woods.  Also, making the bow as long as you are helps to ensure that you aren't overstressing the wood while still getting the weight you want.  That is, there's more wood to do the work.  As insurance, you could always back the bow with something very simple like brown paper (kind of like brown paper bag material sold in long rolls) or linen.  Saturate it in TiteBond III and you'll have a solid, weather resistant backing.  

Guys like me dream about pulling 80# bows...and then wake up with a hernia!       Be sure to post some pictures!

[Pat B]

Hickory would be my choice if I didn't have other woods to work with. It is extremely strong and you can always back it with hickory. By doing this you can glue in some Perry Reflex.
  If you can find a biased grained(//////) board with few or no run offs you can cut the backing strip right off the board. When you are ready to add the backing just orient it so the grain for the backing is opposite to the grain of the belly.
  Most specialty lumber stores should have 8/4(full dimension, not dressed)stock and you can get lots of bow wood and backings from a 8/4 2x6 hickory board.
   I think an ALB design with a flat belly would be better for hickory than an ELB with the rounded belly and would make the finished tips 1/2" instead of 3/4". That is plenty of meat for the tips.

[4est trekker]

So, I'm curious.  Just what are you shootin' up there in Alaska that your 65# bow won't handle...a polar bear at 200 yards?       LOL.  If I shot anything over 65# I'd send more than the arrow flying!

[AKmud]

Actually it is more #'s than I want to pull also!  It is for a bow swap I'm doing with a youngster in the lower 48.  He has a thing for heavy bows!   :eek:

[sw]

I have done this before with hickory. If i where to do it again id cut your board to 1-3/4" wide. 72 inches long and get the tighest grain (growth rings with the straightest grain you can find) Going to a lumber company for your board is the best way to pick the right board. When you get the board home bake it at about 90 degrees for a day or two - you want to get moisture to about 10%.. hickory LOVES to soak up moisture and ANY moisture in the bow at this weight WILL give you a bad set. Your wanting under 2" of set after stringing and shooting the bow.

5" handle at the center with 17" fades - 1/2" at the tips. Your going to want to make the bow wide. Some may say thats over building the bow and you will lose FPS... your going to lose a few FPS but have a bow that is strong and stable and STILL hit in the 160 to 170fps range.

Tiller the bow slowly and do not go over your target weight at any point of the tillering and getting the bow to pull to your target draw length. It should work fine.

If after you build the bow and want to add some speed and a touch of draw weight - hickory is one of the BEST woods to heat and bend and accepts a perry R/D VERY well. Easy to do as well......

Good luck  

[AKmud]

Thanks for the ideas guys!  Siege, I haven't played with tempering the wood yet, but this may be a good one to try on.  Would a pyramid style bow be to any advantage with regards to draw weight?

[Diamondback59]

I THINK  UR MISSIN A VERY VERY GOOD ONE  AT THAT  I WOULD NOT LOOK  PAST A GOOD OL PIECE OF IPE AND A HICKORY  OR BAMBOO BACKING  IV MADE SOME ELBS WAR BOW STYLYE WITH IPE  TO 100 #   ALSO A KNOT FREE OSAGE  BOARD  AND IPE OR HICKRY BACKING SAME THING MY PERSONAL FAVORITE  IS A  IPE  BOARD BACKED WITH 1 / 8 OSAGE   BROCK

[George Tsoukalas]

Make sure your boards are very straight grained. Jawge

[AKmud]

I think I have settled on a hickory backed jatoba for this build.  Anyone have any suggested dimensions/styles for a 70-80# stick??