Hickory Backing

[mpalmer9]

I have successfully made a few linen backed red oak bows but I want to try something else now. I want to use some hickory backings but don't know much about it. How thick do you guys cut your hickory backing strips? Do you taper them at all?  Also, is hickory backed Ipe a good combination?

Thanks

[red hill]

Matt, I haven't made my own backings yet.  I used hickory from 3 rivers to make a hickory backed hickory longbow.  It worked very well and made an excellent bow.  I plan to make a hickory backed osage next and probably another HBH later in the spring.  It was easy to work and shoots well.
Stan

[Walt Francis]

Run a search on Google for Murray Gaskins, and maybe Alternative wood bows.  He has several articles on his site that are the most concise and informative on the subject that I have read.  Most of the hickory backings I have seen, and what he recommends (if I remember correctly) are 1/8” or less: preferably 3/32”, but check and make sure.

[Pat B]

When I cut hickory backing strips I cut it to 3/16" thick and after dressing up both sides it usually comes out at 1/8" or slightly less. I keep them parallel. Hickory backed ipe makes an excellent bow. Make it narrow or the backing will be thicker than the belly. One onch oe 1 1/4" max.
  I have sucessfully used hickory backing on ipe, osage ,locust, mulberry, ERC, black walnut, cherry, red oak and maybe others.

[hova]

ive been thinkin of hickory backed jatoba....


still havent found anyone to resaw it down though , and if you have the same problem , look into making a framesaw. for <30$ you could be resawin your own backing strips in no time.


-hov

[JamesV]

Hov...........I rip my hickory backing on a table saw they run it thru the planer

[Roy from Pa]

What grain cut do you use for hickory backing? Flat sawn, rift sawn, or 1/4 sawn? Or doesn't it really matter?

[JamesV]

Roy.........

I asked the same question and was told that grain orentation wasn't important for hickory backing.

[Blue EagleBum]

Not that I'm well versed on the subject, building bows for a little over a year, but I was told that you want grain orientation for a hickory backing, the same as for a hickory bow. Which I take to be as straight, and with as few run-outs as possible.

[okie64]

I plane mine down to 3/16".I have only used quarter sawn hickory backings and they work great. Hickory over ipe should work. I built two hickory backed masaranduba bows and they both shoot nice. I think masaraduba and ipe are pretty similar. One of them is 50 pounds and the other one 65. The 50 pounder is probably the fastest shootin bow i have made.

[7 Lakes]

Ipe backed with Hickory makes an excellent bow.  Ipe is heavy / dense (which is why it makes such a good bow) But long heavy limbs are thumpers.  I usually substitute some of the Ipe thickness with a lighter wood.. Bamboo actionwood, Walnut etc.

[7 Lakes]

The thickness of the Hickory is defined by the core wood.  The lighter the core the thinner the Hickory.  For instance when backing Eastern Red Cedar I would use a backing close to .065 For Ipe or Osage .125 works well.  No taper on the backing.  You can easily crush the belly of the lighter woods with Hickory.