how thick hickry

[hova]

so i shaped up my shorty today , worked on the handle a bunch , and cleaned up the thickness a bit.

its pretty short , and pretty stiff. the handle is pretty thin. im thinking of doing a slight bend in the handle , but instead of sinewing it (cause i havent ever done this yet) , i was going to pick up some hickory tomorrow at the sawmill.

my question is how thick should i ask them to rip the slats? i figure if i ask em to rip a 3/4" board into 1/8 strips , i might get 2 or 3 if they use a table saw.

so the specs are :

   shorty white oak pyramid
  51" nock to nock (and they are on the very tips)
  width : 2.5" at widest
  thickness is around 15/32 , maybe even close to half inch.


im thinking if they have a bandsaw and an employee willing to give it a go , i might get 4 decent strips. but i just dont know if an eighth of an inch is too thick on something that im looking for around 45# or so ending up...


-hov

[Pat B]

Have them cut 3/16" thick hickory strips. By the time you sand both surfaces it should be 1/8" or slightly less. It they will cut 8/4 hickory they can cut the backing strips from the side of the board.

[hova]

sounds good. i just didnt want to overpower the white oak , or end up with a 90# shortbow...


thanks as always pat.
-hov

[hova]

well the sawmil wont resaw it into slats for me. they can plane it down , but planing down a 3/4 to 3/16 seems silly , especially at full price , plus 20% for planing...looks like its time to find someone with a saw...


-hov

[Pat B]

I cut my backing strips on my table saw but I believe that can be dangerous. A bandsaw with a wide blade(resaw blade is best) will work if you can find someone with one.

[hova]

I was thinking of trying a homemade framesaw...no one I know messes with wood at all...


-hov

[Pat B]

Are there any Amish in your area? That might be an option!

[fujimo]

i have found that trying to resaw such thin slats of hickory on my new 16" bandsaw, is a little tough, the blade sure wants to wander and follkoe a "softer "oath in the hickory- the blade tension is good, but maybe i just need to tune things up a bit- a commercial exotic lumber yard said that they used to have the same problems- but i am sure i can tune this saw to cut em, anybody had similar experiences.

so i usually cut on the table saw- now i have done it both ways- with the slat between the blade and the guide, and the slat on the outside of the blade- it certianally is quicker- one set up- with the slat between the guide and blade- but it seems a whole lot safer done the other way- but you do have to reset the guide each cut.

[Pat B]

I had some cut on a Wood Mizer portable saw mill a few years ago and it worked well.
  For resawing on a bandsaw I think you need a blade that is at least 3/4" and bigger is better and a tall fence...none of which I have.

[fujimo]

i have resawn heaps of other species on the saw, the blade is 3/4" with 4tpi, the hickory just gave me a tough time- but geuss i have to tune things up a bit- and change the position the blade runs on the top wheel!!
 and find the line of the true freehand straight cut, and then set my fence up according to that.

[Ricky Wallace]

Just dont try to use a joiner!!YEEE-HAW,,,,,,,,,  

[Tucker]

I have a wide resaw bandsaw blade on my bandsaw and a Grizzly thickness sander.

How thick of a hickory backing strip is recommended for the white oak type of bow that Hova is making? I can make any thickness very precisely.

Also, what is best - edge grain or flat grain?

Recently I made some 1/16" thick strips of pecan for laminations in a handle riser for a take down bow. Pecan is very similar to hickory, I think.

[hova]

im going to stop by a couple antique shops today on my 400 mile trek , and hopefully i can either come up with an old rip saw , or a frame/bow saw that has a usable blade that i can make a frame saw out of. i have a few modifications in mind , but we'll just have to see what i come up with.


going to pick up the hickry this week , probably Thursday. i was thinking a piece as close to riftsawn would probably be best.


expert opinions please!
-hovw

[Pat B]

I bought a biased grain hickory board a few years ago that was 8/4"x6"x10'(rough sawn 2"x6"x10') long. Cut at 6' with 4' left over. I cut most of it into backing strips but a few staves also. I cut them from the edge of the 8/4 board. The 4' section can be resawn into backing strips too. Just join at the handle.
  When I cut my strips I cut them to 3/16" and after sanding smooth came out at 1/8" of slightly less. For lighter belly wood, ash, elm or maple would probably work best but this hickory I cut worked fine for other woods like black walnut, cherry, ERC, mulberry and others.

[hova]

im backing white oak , so thats why i wondered just how thick the slat needed to be to make sure my white oak didnt blow apart...


i believe i am getting a HF portable bandsaw for xmas from the inlaws,  so this wont be a problem in...10 days!

im still going to set aside a few dollars to get myself a new good blade for it , 3 or 4 tpi , and set it up for resawing some scraps i have , which im then going to turn into laminated luthier clamps. gonna use as many as i can make to clamp the backing to the bow... might even run an extra thick slat as a pressure evener...


im still on the lookout for rip saws though. something appeals to me about ripping strips by hand...

-hov