Black Cherry self bow.....

[Cherry Tree]

Hey guys!

I have some questions about Black Cherry bows.Ive just got my hands on some staves and was wondering what limb designs are the best? and im planing on backing it so whats the best backing for it? im planing on it being some were around 50-55#s with a 28'' draw and whats a good over all length for that long of draw and pounds?Never made a black cherry bow before but have wanted to for awhile so im wanting to do it some what right the first time. any input would be much help Thanks!

[Cherry Tree]

Originally posted by Cherry Tree:
Hey guys!

I have a question about Black Cherry bows.Ive just got my hands on a stave.I was wanting to know whats a good limb design for it? Im planing on a raw hide or sinew backing.

Thanks!

[b.glass]

They talk about black cherry in the Bowyers Bibles. They say it can make a very nice bow. I'm thinking rawhide rather than sinew would be better.

[Cherry Tree]

Yeah ive read them alot but it doesnt say much about the limb designs (that ive found anyway),so i dont know if the ''D'' style or a pyramid style but im thinking pyramid style but i wasnt sure.

I was thinking raw hide also.

Thanks!

[walkabout]

im not sure about black cherry but if youre unsure a pyramid design can be overbuilt for safety pretty easily and still turn out to be a sweet shooter.D bows have a D belly profile and seem to me like they would be hard to tiller as well.

[limbcracker]

I've made a half dozen black cherry bows, very sweet shooting and fast but a little brittle, so you want to go long for the best performance, I'd recommend a minimum of 68" for an unbacked bow, best performance will be longer 76" or so. You'll have to leave the center 12" of the handle to 1" or thicker to get 55lbs. Pyramid style works well, with a 2 wide,flat belly parrallel limbs side tapered. As for backing, cherry is so pretty I hate to cover it. I have used 4oz fiberglass cloth with marine epoxy and a spar urethane finish, its practically invisible. If you want to stay primitive, a copperback skin matches cherry wonderfully, apply it over thin linen or cotton cloth with titebond, wrap with ace bandages. Good luck!