what about ash

[TroyH]

Is ash any good as a self bow, peeled bark with white wood as backing?
If so, what would you recommend as dimensions for a 68" 50# longbow?

[Nim-rod]

Ash is good. It will take some set but easy to flip the tips a few inches to offset it. Toasting the belly also helps.
 The one tree I cut down had about 1/4" of pith under the bark. It was very hard but porous and my first bow blew up because I didn't remove it. Next three bows came out great but I took the drawknife to the pith first and had to chase a ring. I have no idea if this is normal for ash and I had cut it in the very early spring.