What do you think bocote/bocate as limb core?

[jedway]

We knew bocote is wonderful veneer but what do you think if set it as core for limb core of a recurve or longbow?  Did you shoot such a bow?


BTW,I heard it's a hard and heavy wood, but I have check the hardness of some woods from The Wood Database, osage is more harder than bocote but I saw it often used as cores and got a good name of bow woods, why?

[The Whittler]

My own thought on this, bowyers know their trade so I am sure one of them has tried it. Maple, yew, bamboo, red elm has been used and tested for many years.

 The old saying if it ain't broke...... But I'm not a bowyer so who knows.

[katman]

I am not a bowyer but I think it is a heavier wood then those listed by Whittler. Extra mass can slow down the limb.

[Trenton G.]

I have a recurve with bocote limbs. It's not the fastest bow, but it looks really nice. I haven't really shot enough different limbs to notice that much of a difference though.

[katman]

Trenton, bocote veneers or core?

[Charlie Lamb]

I've made several bows with bacote lams. I couldn't tell that it performed any differently than any other core wood. It might make a slight difference in a thick cored Hill style bow.

[yaderehey]

I have several bows with bacote risers.  It seems like a pretty heavy wood.  Also somewhat prone to checking.  Just seems to me there are better and probably cheaper limb core options out there.  Do love it as riser wood and as limb veneers though.

[jedway]

I have got a nice 50's style recurve with bocote limb(veneer&core), it's a well shooting bow for me, very love it!
But it's my first bow without bamboo core, so I'm a little curious about this question.

BTW, I have check the hardness of some woods from The Wood Database, osage is more harder than bocote but I saw it often used as cores and got a good name of bow woods, why?

[Al Dean]

I made a recurve with bocote limbs.  It was a dog.  My opinion, very poor limb wood.

[Mike Mecredy]

If it's looks that appeal to you it's great, if it's performance that appeals to you should use elm, walnut, yew, hickory, maple, ash, etc.  If you want looks and performance use a very thin bocote veneer and something better for the core like those others I mentioned.

[M60gunner]

If you are in a hot, dry climate you will want to choose a different wood. Bocote checks as it dries out.  It Is heavy even in laminates. The bows I have seen, Black Widow, Wes Wallace all used the Bocote as thin veneer over Maple or bamboo. A fellow shooter has a Black Widow riser which is checking from the heat here.

[nineworlds9]

I've had a bocote veneer- bocote core bow and it was a screamer...the aggressive limb design was the cause.  It will not affect the bow if the design is sound.

[Terry Green]

I'm a huge fan of Boo and action boo and get this wenge.... if you can find a Bowyer that can degrease or De oil wenge it's the bomb ....other than that I could care less about any other materials as a core...cept maybe hard rock maple.

[Terry Green]

So...what are the advantages of bacote???

It's heavy...so someone tell me why you would want to use it please...willing to learn...

Wenge is 'BLACK Palm' from what I understand....light yet elastic so to speak and fast recovery....anyone?

Yes...i specified it as a core in a bow I have had for over 15 years.

[Trenton G.]

Originally posted by katman:
Trenton, bocote veneers or core?

The only wood in the limbs is bocote. I guess that means I have just two veneers without a core in the limb. I'm not great with all the terminology.

[kennym]

In a recurve, adding core lams means more glue lines, so it might be a wash, but in a longbow I would use veneers and a different core.

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by Trenton G.:
 

Originally posted by katman:
Trenton, bocote veneers or core?

The only wood in the limbs is bocote. I guess that means I have just two veneers without a core in the limb. I'm not great with all the terminology. [/b]

I'm no bowyer...but you have to have a core.....not just veneers.

[Trenton G.]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
 

Originally posted by Trenton G.:
 

Originally posted by katman:
Trenton, bocote veneers or core?

The only wood in the limbs is bocote. I guess that means I have just two veneers without a core in the limb. I'm not great with all the terminology. [/b]

I'm no bowyer...but you have to have a core.....not just veneers. [/b]

The bow has two bocote laminations in each limb. I guess they aren't just veneers. I guess I stuck my two cents in where I shouldn't have. Sorry for the confusion.

[Ringneck]

My Great Plains one piece has Bocote limb cores and it is a great shooting bow. No slouch in the speed department either.

[Terry Green]

No worries Trenton...just trying to help...my 2 cents aren't worth a quarter cent.