static recurve from hickory

[M P Clark]

Well I'm hoping to get some insight from you seasoned bowyers.  I'm wanting to build my first static recurve and wanted to hear what you think of the design I have in mind.  Any suggestions are welcome, the only thing I ask is please provide a reason / explaination for the suggestion.

Design idea:
main wood hickory
62" NTN
4" handle
3" fades
2" wide limbs for 17" with slight deflex from fades
Last 9" of limb taper from 2" to 1/2" at nock
last 9" will be a radious recurve
Building up riser with mostly walnut with accents of maple
thinking of reinforcing recurves with walnut on the belly side (making them static) and will match riser / handle section

thought about backing with bamboo, but hear the bamboo will over power the compression value of the hickory

also if I back with bamboo I can only find it in 1 1/2" wide pieces so the limbs would be 1 1/2" wide for their majority

Also note the hickory is from air dried rough cut lumber.  The grain pattern on ends are domed almost perfectly.  What doesn' make it perfect is the dome flattens out in the middle of board (which I think is a positive.)  Grain on both ends match with no twisting shown.  Grain on the sides run paraelle (as best as i can tell).  Grain pattern on what will be the back supports the flattened out dome running down the center of the board.

[Pat B]

I've made a few hickory static recurves. Steam is the best method for bending hickory and adding the underlays at the revurve is also a good idea because I've had curves pull out of hickory. Hickory reacts well to belly tempering.
 Your dimensions sound fine. Leave the tips wider until you get to first brace. You may need the extra width to adjust for an offset string. Same with the handle area, leave it wide until first brace for the same reason. You don't need a shaped handle to tiller the bow and it is easier to use the handle area to clamp the bow while you work on it.
 I don't understand your description of the board though. Will you post pics of it?

[M P Clark]

I'll get my camera out and try to get goid picks.  Maybe I should have said growth rings ibstead of dome.  How the lumber was cut left the growth rings on the end looking like a symetric dome when looked at the end edges of the biard.  With the exception of the growth rings become flatter (not a rounded dome) in the center of the board for about 1 3/4" span.

Thanks for you insight, and suggestions.  I didn't say draw wieght earlier (my bad).

Target of #45 @ 28"

[Pat B]

I've never bent recurves in a board stave. Is there any way to chase a ring for the back? How thick is the board?

[M P Clark]

The board is a hair over an inch, the growth rings are tight and I'm not good enough to hit one ring with them being so close together.

What are your takes on backing?  I would prefer not to but will if it is needed.

[John Scifres]

2" wide might be a bit much for 45#.  Could make your limbs pretty thin.  I would go with 1-3/4".

Also, if you are going full width almost to the recurves, you will leave a lot of width in the curves as you make the taper to the tip.  

This can add unnecessary mass.  I would make it full width for half the limb and then taper to 3/4" at the beginning of the recurve, tapering to 1/2" at the nock.  However it is useful to leave it wide until after you do the recurve bending.  That way you can adjust the layout after.

Make your recurve section thicker to allow for sufficient strength to maintain the static recurve.  I have found that 1/2" thick is enough for osage.  You might go a touch thicker for hickory.  Just keep in mind that thicker wood is harder to bend.

I recently read an article about bending wood using hot oil v. steam.  The author contended that you can only get water to 212 degrees but oil can be made much hotter.  Makes sense to me.

[John Scifres]

As for backing, that makes this an entirely different build.  It's safer but I personally don't enjoy the assembly of composite bows as much as the creation I feel with selfbows.