Help me back a bow please

[fish n chicks]

So my trad bow has been giving me some mega issues. 3 staves in a row blew up on me trying to get to a bow. That really does something to your psyche. Especially during tillering. Last night I finally got to bending my 4th try, and it looked like I was getting a winner. Got her all the way to 27", and shot a few arrows out of her to see how she hits em (hard and dead nuts. not bad for my first left handed bow, and left handed shots! lol) but when I put her back on the tree for 28, a splinter was produced about 2" below the riser, on the back of course. It's probably about 2" long.

Now, my question in't necessarily how to fix it, i've fixed these splinters before with hemp chord:

   


But this bow is coming in a little light, so i figured I can kill two birds with one arrow, and back it after I seal the wound.

You guys got any idea what thickness I should think about using for a backing?

It's a 64" cherry board bow, 3/8" limb thickness pulling about 35#'s at 28", and i'd like to get her to 50#'s. max. limb width is 2.5" and tapers to 3/4", 9" riser. I measured about 22" of backing per limb.

This is very new to me, that's why i've never backed a bow before, but now's as good a time as any to save this very awesome bow so far.

Thanks in advance gang.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I would think Hickory backing But we better wait till the pros come along, as far as gaining 15# I don't know about that. Might just get you another stick and start over and out this one in the corner till later. That way you can explore some options and not get in a hurry.

 My swap bow came in about the same weight and I'm adding a horn belly to get her back up. My first attempt at a deflex/reflex bow. I got good tiller but way under weight.

 I still haven't forgot about your beaver fur Fish I just been swamped with everything. Probably send it out this week.

 Stiks

[Pat B]

You can use hickory, elm or hard maple to back your cherry bow. I usually cut hickory backing strips at 3/16" and end up with 1/8" or slightly less finished backing strip.
  The TB glue will work just fine for adding the backing but be sure that your glue surfaces are smooth, flat and clean.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

See there Fish I knew a pro would come along.

 Pat, How much weight can Fish look to gain with an 1/8 backing. Could he go with a 3/16" backing if needed?

[Pat B]

Kris, he shouldn't need to go more than 1/8" thick on the backing. More than that is overkill plus extra added physical weight.He should be able to get 10# more by adding a backing.

[Lee Slikkers]

Hey Pat, how thick is too thick for Hickory as a backing?  Is there a risk of crushing the belly if the Hick is over 3/16"?  Thanks.

[Pat B]

I don't know if it would crush the belly but for a backing 1/8" or even less is plenty. Unlike boo, hickory does stretch some so it rarely will overpower a good belly.  The first hickory backed ipe I built ended up having the backing thicker than the belly because I made it 1 3/4" wide. Shot fine but looked goofy! Hickory backing was probably 3/16" thick and the ipe ended up about 1/8". The bow pulled about 50#@26"

[Lee Slikkers]

Thanks Pat...I got a "youth bow" I'm working on for my 11 yr old boy, it's a Hickory backed Osage.  The hickory was/is between 3/16" & 1/4" and the Osage lam was/is 3/8" at the handle but tapers fairly rapidly towards the tips (60" bow, 58" ntn)  Aiming for a 25lb @ 22"

Sorry guys, didn't mean to hijack the thread...

[Lee Slikkers]

Originally posted by Lee Slikkers:
Thanks Pat...Sorry guys, didn't mean to hijack the thread...

[GREG IN MALAD]

Fish,
Unless it's way too light I wouldnt worry to much about the poundage. I know I can always shoot a lighter bow but my shoulder wont let me go heavier very often. Have you thought about rawhide? The last bow I backed with rawhide gained a couple pounds.
BTW, I have built a couple bows from cherry and they were very nice shooters. I hope you can save this bow, it's a good looker.

[fish n chicks]

Thanks for the great replies guys!

Stiks - No worries brother, I just figured you may have had a rough trapping season what with the harsh winter. If you've still got em i'd love to use them on this bow for (in kennym's honor)
****** *** * **** **** *** ** * **. *

Pat - Thank you for the direction! I picked up some 1/8" yellowheart. They didn't have very much of a selection where I went, and hickory wasn't even one of them in that thickness.

Greg - that's not actually the bow i'm referring to, just one that I had the same issue with and repaired with hemp chord.

Lee - If my name started the thread, you can hijack all you want. I'm not one of those dudes.


Thanks again guys! I'm going to try to back her tonight, so hopefully in the next couple of days we'll see a near finished product. Cheers.

[Lee Slikkers]

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I"ll get you a few pair sent Fish

[fish n chicks]

The bow totally didn't make boot camp. I will post pictures of this one as I thought it was one of my nicest ones yet.

Regardless, thanks for the effort guys.

One other question tho, under normal circumstances, would you back a bow BEFORE initial tillering, as in during glue-up, or is it something that comes after?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Yes you would do the backing during initial glue up for instance if you wanted a BBO design. I did mine in my caul and actually heat treated the shape into the osage first then glued the boo backing on. Then you would tiller both together.

In your case though if you run into problems like you described you could always sand the back down flat and glue a backing on it at any time you want to. Then just retiller.

I'm actually thinking about doing that with my first osage bow that raised a splinter on the side of a knot. Sand it off flat, heat some R/D into it and glue a boo backing on.

[fish n chicks]

Originally posted by SEMO_HUNTER:
Yes you would do the backing during initial glue up for instance if you wanted a BBO design. I did mine in my caul and actually heat treated the shape into the osage first then glued the boo backing on. Then you would tiller both together.

In your case though if you run into problems like you described you could always sand the back down flat and glue a backing on it at any time you want to. Then just retiller.

I'm actually thinking about doing that with my first osage bow that raised a splinter on the side of a knot. Sand it off flat, heat some R/D into it and glue a boo backing on.

Thanks for the knowledge! I have chosen not to give up on this one. I think I can try a repair like I did on the cherry bow above and salvage it. We will see how it goes and I will report.