Need Backing Advice

[Blackie76]

This weekend I began work on a white ash blank that my father gave me.  More accurately, he ran to the local lumber yard, picked out a board, and cut me a blank on his bandsaw.  I think he got a little too excited because the blank is not so hot for making a longbow.  The grain isn't quite straight and the back is by no means one continuous growth ring.  Still, I figured I'd work it just to get the feel of the wood on my drawknife, fully expecting to maim the blank.  To my surprise I did have some success.  The limbs are both about floor tillered with even bend throughout.  Maybe the old man knew what he was doing.  Now I feel a little invested in this piece and I would like to see it survive.

I made the judgement early on that if this bow is going to survive it's definitely going to need a backing.  I have access to hickory, so I figured I'll use that, but I'm open to other suggestions.  Also, should I back the bow now before I move ahead with further tillering, or should I keep removing wood and praying that the back doesn't give way?  I'm open to any and all suggestions.

[John Scifres]

Use quartersawn hickory and back it now before tillering.  If I thought a bow would survive tillering without backing, I wouldn't back it at all.  Do you have any pics?  What about specs on the blank as well as draw length and weight you are going for?  Good luck.

[Blackie76]

Thanks.  That's what I thought.  I don't have pics or specs but I should be able to find time to get them by the end of the week.  I'm going for 40# at 28".

[Art B]

Biggest problem I think folks make using boards for bows is that they give no thought to the wood's moisture content. Wood may be dry and it may not. You certainly hear of a lot of board bows taking on a excessive amounts of set. Tillering skills could be a big part of the problem, but using square stock good tiller would be much easier to achieve ,than say, using a stave.

Might be wise, get your bow floor tillered, and take inside the house to where you have better enviromental controls for about a week or so before tillering out........Art

[vanillabear?]

[Blackie76]

Thanks for all the tips.  I'm starting to think hickory might not be way way to go.  I do have some ash available so I might go with that.

[vanillabear?]