wood backings

[walkabout]

just wondering if anyone has used a wood thats easy to get straight grain, like say poplar or something similar to back a bow. i know alot of people use hickory or boo but poplar is easy to get straight grain and one could rip a ton of backings from one piece.

[rbbhunt]

I've been advised not to use poplar, too weak.

[frank bullitt]

I've seen and read of Maple, Elm and White Ash being used, also for backings.

[Cherry Tree]

Hickory and Maple are great!

[limbcracker]

I have used 1/4"  ash successfully as backing on several cherry bows, very nice shooters too. But its too light for hickory, maple, walnut or american elm, it would probably work on hackberry or red elm as they are less dense woods like cherry. By the way ash makes a pretty good bow by its self too, or with a hickory backing. Hickory backing is not too picky about being perfectly straight, you can usually get away with a few run off grains in the working area, unless you are trying to make an elephant bow.

[walkabout]

its kind of amusing that people are told poplar is too weak for a backing when tons of us use paper for backings every day.lol. this is why i was pondering it. i know a thin piece of poplar will bend pretty well. might try it out on a test piece first, ill post any results i get if anyones interested.

[chrisg]

I think its the nature of wood that has early growth and late growth, the early wood in poplar must be pretty soft indeed, whereas paper is a homogenised fibrous material with all those fibres interlocked? Also the moment of force on a thin layer of paper is minute compared to the leverage on even  1/4" backing of wood. How's that for a thumbsuck answer?
chrisg

[walkabout]

lol. thank you for elaborating chris. makes sense though when you look at it like that.

[No-sage]

I'd also bet that 95% of paper backed bows wouldn't have broken if they weren't backed at all.

Laminated bows and backed bows are quite different from oneanother.  The backings don't do any actual work, they're just an attempt to hold down a splinter that may or may not appear. A slat of wood in a back lamination is under great tension and does a great deal of work in the finished bow.

[walkabout]

i back my bows hoping that the backings would hold any splinters from lifting. from what i gather, using paper or other backing materials just makes it so theres a layer thats pristine , similar to one growth ring on a self bow. i thought the poplar or similar wood would do this as well, seeing how straight grained some of it is.

[Pat B]

For wood backings a few things should be considered. First what is your belly wood? On bows of osage, ipe and other compression strong a tension strong wood backing(ie, hickory, boo)is acceptable but on woods that are less strong in compression ash, elm and hard maple would suffice. These woods would be good backings on osage and ipe too but I wouldn't use boo on less compression strong woods even though others have done it successfully.
  You have to consider more than looks when backing a bow. It takes more prep work and gluing skills to make a good backed bow so why use something that just "might" work. Appropriate backings for bellies and bellies for backings should be considered. IMO

[walkabout]

very good points. i know poplar is weak but hadnt really thought that any backings needed to be particular since such a variety of improvised backings exist. as stated id want my backing as insurance against splinters, and i know from experience that the right backings are a must. just trying to broaden my horizon. thanks for all the input.

[Pat B]

The only thing I'd use poplar for in archery would be arrows and handle risers.