Dogwood/Hickory lam bow question

[So-Mo Archer]

I have had an idea in the last couple days to design a glass lam longbow using native NC woods. My plan is to have hickory cores on the limbs, with dogwood on the faces. Then a hickory riser with dogwood accents and jewel strips of pine and laurel.

In my mind and my drawings it is beautiful, but I'm unsure if it will work.

Has anyone ever used dogwood as a lam material, or know if it can be used?

Note: I plan on using clear glass to show off the wood, so would that help with the inadequacies of the dogwood?

[rmorris]

If you make the dogwood lams thin they will act more or less like a veneer under glass and if dogwood ( I know nothing about dogwood being from New Mexico )  can handle decent compression and I assume it can because people make self bows out of it, it will be fine in any thickness.

Not the part to does worry me is the pine. I would not use pine in any part of a bow.

[So-Mo Archer]

Thanks, Ralph. I was unaware that one could make a selfbow from dogwood, so I feel beyer about my chances.

The pine will be more like an accent strip in the riser, and not be bending. I plan to make a strip with it alternating with mountain laurel. I plan to keep it around 1/16 or so thick, and purely for aesthetics. If that eases your mind any.

[rmorris]

If I am not mistaken American holly is native to NC. It has a great pure white color,  hard  and would only take a small  branch  to make the accent strips.

Many pines have the chemical turpentine which over time can destroy the glue or epoxy around them, that with pine being soft is why I worry.

Also I have found it advantageous to have woods of similar densitys next to eachother  
1. It makes sanding easier because a soft wood next to a hard wood will sand quicker causing ripples where things should be smooth
2. Wood with similar densitys and property's tend to act the same. Many times they absorb moisture differently causing a slight expansion or contraction of one of the woods and you can feel a slight lip over time.

Just some things I have unfortunately learned

[Frosty the Bowman]

Matt,

sounds really cool, good luck

[So-Mo Archer]

Thanks for the heads up, Ralph. May look into the holly option.

Yeah, Kevin, in my mind it's gorgeous, but we'll see how it goes when I can work on bows again. In rehab till around March. Plan on posting a build along as I go possibly.

[rmorris]

Matt, I would love to see the buildalong , it does sounds like a great looking bow!

[briarjumper12]

I've made selfbows from Dogwood and you'll be fine with it provided you can find a piece that doesn't have spiral grain. The bark can look straight as an arrow and then when you split it it'll spiral 180 degrees.

[So-Mo Archer]

Wow, Briarjumper, thanks for the heads up. It may take a little trial and error hunting, but I'm sure I can find a branch or two to do the job. Appreciate it!