Black palm.

[wood carver 2]

A while back I started working on a self bow made from a stave of black palm that a friend brought home for me from Ecuador. Right after that, I got busy with other things to the point where I had to postpone a few projects. Well, I picked it up again the other day and I have it cut and sanded to shape and starting to bend a bit on the floor.
The dimensions are as follow: 72" tip to tip, 1 1/2" wide at the fades, tapering to 1/2" tips. It is about 5/8" thick through the handle area and 5/16" at the tips. I have not yet narrowed the handle area. I'm not really sure how I should go from here. I was thinking of gluing on a piece of wood to build up the handle thickness before shaping the grip. I was also thinking of cutting a small shelf into the grip, or maybe building one up with wood or leather.
What do you all think? I'm open to suggestions.
Dave.

[mikkekeswick]

The black palm bows I've seen were all 'elb kind of' styles. It would be cool to make a bow like the jungle natives made from it.
1 inch wide is plenty as palm is so dense.
I would make an elb from it  - 1 inch wide through the handle and 4 inches either side. Then taper to 3/4 wide 12 from the nocks, then into 3/8th at the nocks.

[wood carver 2]

I was going to make it like the native bows I have seen, but they are braced really low ( like 1" ) and are designed to shoot huge spear-like arrows. I want something that I can shoot and maybe hunt with regularly, rather than a curiosity.
I think I'll take your advice and go ELB. I still have to build up the grip area. It's only 5/8" thick and not comfortable to hold.
Dave.