Pyramid bow backing?

[dixiearcher]

I am getting ready to make my first bow and am going to follow the 4est build along. What is the best thing to back it with? I want to back it for extra strength since it is my first, but most boards or veneers I find are too narrow. Are linen or sinew my only options? Any tips are appreciated!

[monterey]

What kind of boards are you looking at?  

Most can be found in width wider than needed.

Backing will give you some protection in the case of an imperfect board, but a good board usually won't need it.  That said, the ones I build for the kids are always backed with grocery bag paper just in case.

[KellyG]

what kind of wood are you using? Red oak like 4est did. or can you get hickory or white oak.

but most things would over power the red oak.

I say don't back it and have fun. if you follow that 4est you will do fine.

[mwosborn]

Lots of options, I like rawhide.  It makes a good canvas for painting if you are into that kind of thing.

[dixiearcher]

I am still looking for a good board but it will probably have to be white or red oak...that's about all our lowes or Home Depot carry

[dixiearcher]

4est bow was 3 inches wide at its widest point. Even the rawhide I have seen for sale is in 2 inch widths?

[takefive]

Somewhere in 4est's build along he says that he way overbuilt the design for beginning bowyers.  2" would be wide enough.

[monterey]

Rawhide is a good backer, but will not improve performance.  Might even Rob performance.

[passion for knowledge]

My second red oak board bow is backed with a fairly light weight glass fibre fabric (not mat) and epoxy resin - I clamped it up with a few layers of petg plastic sheet (doesn't stick to epoxy very well) - gave a nice gloss finish and squeezed out most of the epoxy.

#42 @ 28" - 68" ntn

Shot a lot of arrows - taken about 1' of set.

Once you shoot one you've made, there's no going back.


Given it was only my second, I was a bit short on confidence regarding backing, maybe, who knows.

[KenH]

Backing with anything but sinew is really only splinter protection. Silk, rawhide, canvas, burlap, fish or snake skins, all will help prevent splinter raises.  The lighter weight hte backing, the better.

It is said that backing with raw flax -- NOT linen -- will improve performance to some degree,  I have the flax and a bamboo straight self-bow that needs a boost in draw weight, and will be applying combed flax, and I intened to document the performance increase.

[mikkekeswick]

What people forget about board selection is that dodgy grain doesn't just affect the woods ability to stay together under tension (hence backing with something else). Dodgy grain also weakens the belly. This will end in more set than necessary and if the grain is bad enough other failures can happen too.
What i'm getting at is you should only use next to perfect boards. Keep searching and get a board with excellent grain. Making bows is like making a house of cards - every step is important and it doesn't take much to bring the whole lot down.
Good Luck.