Cutting bow-cores?

[SveinD]

I've recently gotten permission to harvest some 4-12" Maple and ash, and possibly Laburnum as well.

In addition to making some staves, I'd also like to make veneers, risers and limb-cores of the trees I get.

However I do not know what makes a peice of wood suitable for use as core-material in a RD longbow!
Do any of you have any pointers for which pieces I should make into cores?

Thanks, SveinD

[Jason Scott]

Maple has been an industry standard for decades as a limb core. Ash is used by many top bow companies. Don't know about Laburnum. There are a lot of different variations of maple. The harder the better. Most anything works if you are going to use glass on the back and belly though. As for veneers, maple can be a little plane looking unless stained or it is figured nicely.

[Robertfishes]

I believe sugar maple or hard maple are the prefered maples for bow tapers, not sure about using the soft maples..I bought a couple 2x8x10 hard maple boards last year but havnt cut into them yet..too easy to call KennyM and buy his nice tapers..