Planning a hickory sapling longbow

[RJonesRCRV]

Supposing I can find a good hickory sapling, I plan to make a backed longbow from it, nothing special, just decent looking in the 40-60# range, what ever I land at.  I would like to hear what everyone thinks about my plan.  I havent really made any bows other than many junk ones as a kid, but I have been reading and researching for a few years.  One of the primary factors is that I am not a big spender so I like the challenge of making something nice for as cheap as possible.  Heres the plan:

Locate a hickory sapling, straight, as few knots and branches as possible, 65-70" long, 2-3" diameter.

Strip the bark and rough out the limbs and handle/shelf immediately. I prefer a good handle and shelf of some sort so I wont be splitting the sapling.

Dip the tips in paint and tie tips and handle tight to a board, belly up. Ill slide blocks towards the ends for some reflex but not worried about it too much.

Allow it to air dry for a month or two, which will be the hardest part for me.

Start tillering.  

My questions are:

If i violate the outer growth ring on the back during debarking, will a good backing take care of this? Probably will lean toward fiberglass cloth or drywall tape, since I am finishing a basement too. I plan to back it no matter what, just for safety of my work.

I like the look of stiff tips, so I plan to leave some thickness for the last few inches, shave the tips down on the sides, and leave some on the belly side to keep weight down and strength up.  Will this make tillering tougher?

For the string nocks, I dont want to violate the growth ring on the back, so will I be fine with the stiff tips, or should I do overlays somehow?  This will be tough on a crowned back.  Any suggestions?

[Pat B]

An American style longbow would be fine with hickory but not an English(ELB) style bow because hickory is not strong in compression and the narrow, deep profile of the ELB puts all the compression stresses down the crown of the belly and hickory's weaker compression can't take it.  As far as backing, hickory does not need a backing because it is one of the strongest woods in tension. FG backing would be the worst backing you could use for hickory because FG is too strong and can crush the hickory.
 No problem leaving the tips stiff. I usually leave the last 6" or 7" stiff on all my bows.  I would leave the handle and tips unshaped for now. You may need to make slight alignment adjustments later. You don't need shaped tips or handle to tiller a bow.
  Spring, when the leaves first come out is a good time to cut any whitewoods because the bark is easy to remove leaving a pristine back for your bow.

[LittleBen]

Pat B has given excellent advice. I would only add that wood glue applied with your pointer finger is the easiest way I've found to seal the ends of a stave. It also makes a lot less mess than paint.

Also, when it comes time to do the string nocks, either you can flatten the back at the tips to glue on an overlay, or the easiest thing is to just cut the string nocks on the sides of the tip and not across the back.

[frank bullitt]

Pat is right about the properties of hickory.

But I have seen and shot an elb of hickory, and it was sweet!

And other wooden bows that were outside of the " box" for their limits!

Why?  Not sure.

[RJonesRCRV]

Sounds good.  I hadnt thought about simply cutting the nocks into the sides but I have time to consider my options still.  Thanks guys.

[RJonesRCRV]

So i got a hickory sapling cut and split in half, and I have the stave in the basement now tied to a board to cure and to try to get some twist out of it.  It is about 2.25" wide up to 2.75" wide, and obviously crowned.

I am trying to chase a ring, because since it is winter, the bark had to be cut off, damaging the back. I can see the grain running and curving along, but I cannot see the rings at all even with it sanded totally smooth, wet or dry, direct or indirect light, or red, green or blue light.  The rings are very thin, but any suggestions?

I have read that hickory doesnt care as long as violations arent too bad.  I really dont want to back it if possible