Wood backing question

[Innocente]

yet another few newbie questions:

regarding wood backings: (ie: bamboo backed, hickory backed, etc) -

1.  can i put a wood backing on a board bow, or is that more appropriate for a stave bow?

2.  how in the world do you true up the back of a stave so that you can glue on a backing? i read and read about ring chasing, and how the stave bows end up with lots of character - that would seem to make a really poor mating surface for a perfectly flat 1/8" hickory lamination.

3.  is it mandatory to use heat cured epoxy when gluing my backing? can i use the non heat cure epoxy?

[Rich Evans]

1. yes you can put a wood backing on a board bow as well as any non wood backing like burlap, rawhide or sinew.
2. if I had a stave I would not put a wood backing on it. I would chase one ring and if I thought it needed a backing, i would use rawhide or sinew.  Not saying that a stave can't be trued up and a wood backing applied, but it just isn't worth the effort for me when rawhide is so easy to put on.

3. if putting on a wood backing or rawhide I use Titebond III. its a hard to beat glue for wood construction.

hope that helps. others may have more suggestions.

[bubby]

what Rich said is spot on imo

[Pat B]

Me too!

[Innocente]

thanks guys, that clears up a lot.  soon as i can find me a hardwood backing, i'll experiment with this idea.

[spider1]

Just to add a little to what Rich said. The reason for using a backing is to simulate a single, unviolated ring for a backing. If a stave back is too dificult for the particular bow maker to follow, they could opt to decrown that stave with a plane and glue on a backing, or to chase the ring as best as they can and add a sinew or rawhide backing. Honestly, in my opinion, a wood or bamboo backing is best used on a board bow.

[Innocente]

thanks spider, that summed up the explanation nicely.

[Diamondback59]

think u  need spend   a bit,time money read ttb 1 - 4  ya  get a heck of a lot of awnser s and ideas there   and  to be honest  even after id been at it 12 yeaRS I LEARNED EVEN MORE WHEN I READ EM  WOULDNT BE CAUGHT WOUT EM NOW HA  BROCK

[Innocente]

i think imma ask santa for the bibles this christmas.

[sulphur]

innocente, silk and linen go on boards too.  they don't always have to be hickory or bamboo.  a good  heavy linen does a great job.  i bought some online for about $6 a yd.  2yds will make a lot of bows.

[Pat B]

Flax, raw linen fibers makes a good backing too. It is applied like sinew but it doesn't have the stretch of sinew. You can use TB glues for it too. I saw a few flax bows being built at the Tenn. Classic last year.

[Innocente]

i ALWAYS back my stuff, working my way through a huge roll of linen right now. interested in this wood backing, just because i see so many posts with bamboo and hickory backed bows.

[spider1]

Try white oak as a backing also. It is about as strong as hickory but is naturally moisture resistant.