Wodd choice for Board Bow

[agd68]

Hello All, I'm getting ready to try a board bow build and would appreciate your opinions. My woods available are ash, maple, or cherry. Which wood would you choose, why ? What would you recommend to back it with other than sinue? Is any backing better for a particular wood mentioned here?  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I have only done red oak board bows & I have a nice shooter that can fling a 713 grn arrow over 150 yards. That is the cheapest boards at the time. The last one was given to me from a friend. I don't have a full draw pic but there is some pic's here  http://mysticguido.spaces.live.com/default.aspx


Right now I'm working on a ash stave again, the last one broke, when I pulled it over weight at tillering. But if the grains run straight on the back side & sides I don't think you would need any if under 55#. Hickory is good backing & would look nice with any of your available woods. Boo is also good backing. I have even used fabric fiberglass & fiberglass sheet rock tape. There is many other backs that are all good.

[Lost Arra]

Here is a maple board bow with a linen backing:

 

 

 

ASAT camo paint job by my daughter

[EASTERNARCHER]

HEy AGD68, All the woods you mentioned are good woods. It depends on the grain and how straight the grain is running. You could back any or all of them mentioned with maple, or even better...hickory.  I get my hickory from Eaglewood Specialties in town.  I hear that cherry makes a great bow, I have lots waiting to try but haven't found the time yet.

Best of all worlds IMHO is a boo backed hickory. If you want some boo let me know...I have lots!

PM me and we'll talk.

[John Scifres]

It's really tough to choose simply based on the wood's name.  Variability among the ash and maple is huge.  So, the individual piece would decide for me.  The grain is the first determinant.  If you can find boards with equal grain, the heavier of the two will be the better bow wood, all things equal.  Make your first bow overbuilt like in Ferret's Board Bow Instructions and you should be fine with either maple or ash.  I don't know about cherry.

I wouldn't back a first board bow made from ash or maple with sinew.  It's too much work and adds a pretty high degree of complexity.  Put linen or rawhide on it instead.  Best of all is no backing, assuming a good board choice.

Design determines the best choice for a backing.  Quality of wood determines the best design.  Long, overbuilt board bows are not a good candidate for sinew.  At best, you will get protection from lifting a splinter and sinew is heavy so it will slow wide, long limbs down.

Bamboo is graduate work in my opinion.  Learn to remove wood accurately first.  Then tackle the tougher stuff.
  Ferret\\'s Board Bow Instructions

[Frenchymanny]

Only one advise: Take your time!
When not sure what to do, make a cup of coffee and take a break    

Good luck,
F-Manny