Backing for a Red Oak board bow

[Keep TX Trad]

This is my first post here but I have been reading this forum off and on for a while. At the moment I shoot a compound (training wheels) but have always wanted to shoot trad. Since I don't have the financial resources at the moment for buying a bow, my dad and I started making our own today!

I have a question about backings however. We are using Sam Harper's instructions and he uses drywall tape for the backing. But, it looks ugly!  

Is there anything else that we could use that would be simple, accessible and look relatively good? Like I said in the title, these are being made from Red Oak. Simple is the most important seeing that we are completely new to bow making.

Thanks a lot and Merry Christmas!

[Mark C.]

I have had good luck with silk and Titebond III.

Mark

[Dingus]

You can use ordinary fabric.  Either re-cycle something or go down to the local fabric store and pick out something you like.  I've done board bows for the whole family using their favorite theme fabric... including pianos for my daughter and stars and stripes for my wife.  My sons got camo backings.
Have fun with it!
Dingus

[deadpool]

you can make a fine red oak bow without havin to back it heres a vid of my last one i made, shot very well!!!


 http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=18573664

[Scott E]

If youre grain is strait then you wont need a backing but if not linen or silk glued on with titebond will keep the bow together.

[30coupe]

Rawhide also works. You can go to the pet supplies and get the biggest rawhide bone they have. Soak it in warm (not hot) water until it softens up. Blot it dry. Then you can cut strips and glue it to the back of the bow with Titebond II. Just put the seam at the handle. Let it dry for at least 24 hours and you have one tough bow. There are some build alongs of this. You might try searching rawhide backing.

[Dingus]

Chaiyo, PM sent.

[Diamondback59]

guys dont forget the bamboo !! id back it with either bamboo, hickory ,sinew or silk  just my 2 cents but i like the bamboo on red  oak   get s more speed also and looks nice

[snapper1d]

I have made a bunch of them by sliceing of a strip from that red oak and taking it and flipping it over or end to end and gluing it back on.Some say it wont work but it does.I wont use it for a backing on anything else but it does work on its self.I have one right now I am working on that I have done that way.I have noticed that it does'nt take as much set as some other woods do.In fact this one has taken none at all yet.It was a 50# and been shot a lot but now I have a niece that needs a light weight bow so it is going to her.Now I have to make two more of them.One for my brother and one for his wife.It looks like its going to be a family thing.

[George Tsoukalas]

Beginners should back bows for safety. I've used silk and burlap on boards. More on my site. Jawge
 http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html

[George Tsoukalas]

Linen will work too. Jawge

[Can Hahaka]

I used the Sam Harper step by step as well and used the dry wall tape. What I did was paint a camo finish and it is hard to tell there is tape there at all.

Actually used grey, black and green spray paint from stock.