Ash and Black Cherry long bow

[Toymaker]

I have just finish my first wood bow and I was thinking about starting a second. For my second one I'd like to try an Ash backed Black Cherry long bow. I have a black cherry stave and a bunch of straight grained Ash boards. I was thinking of making a full length one piece ash back. This is the wood I have on hand and I've heard both good and bad about this wood combination. So I'm going to give it a try.
I have a few questions. How should I orient the growth rings on the ash back?
The Cherry wood is a 1/4 log stave from a 8" diameter log. It's a bit twisty.
Normally on a stave you'd chase a ring for the back, however since I'm doing an ash back what should I do with the back of the stave? Just cut it straight and flat? Should I orient the growth rings differently? What is the best way to put a wood back on a stave that is less than perfect let alone perfect? What type of profile should I have in the limbs? Cherry is supposed to be good in compression.
Thank you for the help and insight!
Gary

[PEARL DRUMS]

I made a hickory backed cherry years ago. I dont remember the exact dimensions, I do remember it being 68" long and 1.75 wide at the fades and broken! Mine was from boards as well.

[eflanders]

Toymaker,

I have to admit that I have some minor  reservations using Ash for the backing but I am very curious as to how it actually works for you.  In my limited experience, Ash tends to be very moisture sensitive (checks easily) like Hickory does but without the cross-weave grain of Hickory so it doesn't have quite the same strength properties.  If the bow you are building will be of 45-50 lbs. or less, than I don't think the Ash will be much of an issue.

[KellyG]

toymaker,
on some wood you don't have to chase a ring. If you and an ash stave or any of the other white woods you knock the bark off and that is your back. I dont remember if I have read whether you can do that with cherry. I know both can make a bow by them self. You just have to got wide. 2" at the fades. That is all  I can recall from my reading in TTB1 and 2.
Kelly

[Living_waters]

Toymaker,
cherry is a white wood, the wood directly under the bark is the back if you were going to make a self bow. But since you are going to back it with an ash backing you will need to decrown it to make a good mating surface to join the two woods. If it is twisted you will want to straighten it first. Reduce the stave first it makes it easier to straighten. If it is wet wood steam it, if it is dry you can use dry heat. TBBII has a good section on straightening wood, also a discussion going on here about using heat right now.

Not sure what the grain orientation should be for ash, but like most white woods I would assume quartersawn or rift would be the first choice. Make sure the grain is straight either way.

Pyramid design 2 inches wide at the fades and a careful tiller and you will have a screamer, Cherry is a fast wood. Make sure your spot on on your tiller, a bad tiler is disastrous with cherry. Keep the backing 1/8" 0r less.

[KellyG]

and build your bow on here so we all can see. I know it seem like haveing everyone watching is a bad thing but I bet they will see errors before you are left with a bow you want shoot cause of low weight or a bow that you can't cause it is in pieces

[don s]

there is an unbacked black cherry pyramid style bow in tbbII. cherry is strong in compression but not in tension. if you decide on a style other than pyramid i think it should be backed.
                                          don