Padauk selfbow

[Mgydas]

Has anyone here tried a Padauk self bow?

My wife's coworker asked for padauk specifically.  As I am not familiar with this wood I selected a board with the closest to perfect grain I could.  And have roughed out several designs.

Ine a pyramid bow with the biggest width at 2" and shooting for 64" ntn.

The second is a paddle bow. 72" ntn an 1 3/4" at the widest.

Third is 72" ntn 1 1/2" wide up to about 2/3rds of each limb.

All should be around 55lbs at 27" draw length.  Now, is there a design I should mainly focus on?  I as well still have one blank piece just waiting to be cut and is 78".  Also any additional advice would be welcome.

Thanks in advance!

[BenBow]

Padauk is pretty brittle. I've used as veneers in a glass bow and it didn't work there.

[wood carver 2]

I have used it as a core wood in a bamboo backed tri lam. The bow draws 57# @ 28". I gave it to a buddy of mine and he has shot it a lot since last summer.
I have another strip waiting to be built into the core of another longbow for my Nephew.
Dave.

[Pago]

I used it for a riser but would not attempt a selfbow with it myself.

[mikkekeswick]

It's not the best wood for the job.
I used it a lot ias cores for elb's and gad too many failures (of a core!) to warrant using it again.
Has your friend picked it because of the colour? If so tell them it will end up a dirty brown....it's only bright red for a few months.....much better to use bubinga or bloodwood for the red.

[Mgydas]

Unfortunately, yes I'm sure it was for the color.

That is rather saddening news.  Do you guys think perhaps a heavy backing of sinew would do the trick?  After this last hunting season I have quite the surplus.

I guess I'll have to experiment now.

[Jomohr84]

Not sure where you are in MT, but a couple years ago I bought a beautiful bubinga board from Glacier Hardwoods in Kalispell, price was very reasonable, and he's got a huge selection of hardwoods.

[Mgydas]

I'm in Missoula, so Superior Hardwoods was the closest with a really awesome selection.  I'll have to check out Glacier though! Kalispell isn't too far off and the drive around Flathead Lake is beautiful so it will never be a wastef trip.

[Buemaker]

Most likely it is African Padauk (Pterocarpus Soyauxii ) and then I agree with the others, but should it be the real Padauk from Thailand or Burma ( Pterocarpus Macrocarpus ) then it is another story. Bue--.

[Roy from Pa]

I was worried, Bue. Not gonna say what I was saying about ya. LOL But I feel better now  

[Buemaker]

Are you thinking about that Basswood I sent you, the one I had colored red with food color.  

[Roy from Pa]

Yes and it's red for another reason now ole timer...    

[Mgydas]

Ha I wish I knew that whole back story.  Wish I did a little more research, turns out it is African but on the bonus side my father gets some nice exotic wood to play with.  Me though, I have to bust out another bow here very quickly.

Luckily I have some nice Mountain Ash and some character cherry to work with.