Next Board Bow -- Belly Woods & Backing thickness

[YosemiteSam]

3Rivers had free shipping past $50 and I only needed a few things.  So I ordered a hickory backing strip.  I had originally thought that I would just put it on a piece of maple I had picked up recently.  But now I'm rethinking that.

Choices are fairly limited out here.  The local HD has the usual choices of maple, red oak, walnut, etc.  I can get hickory from another lumber yard but the few times I've searched through looking for anything straight-grained, I've walked away empty-handed.  Figured I'd check with some of you to see which of the usual lumberyard woods are best in compression to pair with the hickory backing strip.  Is it worth doing a hickory-backed hickory bow on a wavy piece of hickory?  Would it be appreciably better than hickory backed maple or walnut?

Also, the backing strip coming in is supposed to be 1/8".  I've read that a backing strip should be no more than 1/8".  Should I be looking to thin this out a little?  If anybody has experience with the strips from 3Rivers, I'd be curious to know if they need to be thinned & the best way to do that.

[skeaterbait]

My opinion, hickory is going to be your best bet, it's tough as nails. If you are going to back it anyway the grain is not AS important but you still want the straightest grain with the fewest run offs you can get.

I have not had backing strips from 3 Rivers but I would leave it as you get it. I am guessing it's sanded and ready for glue up.

[Pat B]

When I cut hickory backing strips I usually cut it to 3/16" and after sanding out the tool marks it ends up at 1/8" of slightly less. You can go even thinner for some less compression strong woods like BW but it's not necessary. I've hickory backed red oak, BW, ERC, osage, ipe, all with good luck and have a black locust stave that will be backed with hickory.

[mikkekeswick]

Seeing as it is the outer 1/16th or so thickness doesn't really make much/any difference in the hickory backings properties. To reduce its chance of stretch resistance overpowering a bellies ability to resit compression you should trap the back or crown it. Backing strips can be any thickness that sits well with the rest of the lams and bows design.
As for which bellywood is best....design is once again key. The woods with less ability should have more 'working' surface than the ones less able to resist compression. Most bow quality woods if handled correctly and the bow designed correctly will perform within a couple of fps of each other. Design is king....but to design a bow perfectly requires a through knowledge of the materials you are working with.

[Bowjunkie]

Mike, you said... "The woods with less ability should have more 'working' surface than the ones less able to resist compression."

Did you mean 'than the ones (better) able to resist compression'?

[Pat B]

For the belly I like to start with a standard 3/4" thick board and reduce the limbs from there. That extra thickness will insure the bow doesn't bend in the handle popping off the riser.

[Wolftrail]

Originally posted by Pat B:
For the belly I like to start with a standard 3/4" thick board and reduce the limbs from there. That extra thickness will insure the bow doesn't bend in the handle popping off the riser.

How do you taper down the belly, can't use a draw knife on lumberyard material.  I use a hand plane going very easy and measuring the thickness as I go.
Finishing taper I usually use a belt sander careful not to hog off to much.

[Pat B]

I use a Nicholson #49 rasp and scraper. I'm used to making selfbows so it's not that much work. If you're good with a bandsaw you could reduce the belly and cut in the fades before you start tillering.

[Wolftrail]

Would be nice to have a bandsaw.  Used a hand plane for years as long as you go with the grain and not gouge the wood it turns ok.  Never used a scraper nor do I own one. Instead of a draw knife I use a Bowie style knife. I will use a rasp then follow up with a course file and do finesse tillering with the file near the end of the process.

[Pat B]

You'll have to watch the grain with the rasp also.

[Wolftrail]

Oh,  true to the word I did not know that.  You learn something every day.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by Wolftrail:
 

Originally posted by Pat B:
For the belly I like to start with a standard 3/4" thick board and reduce the limbs from there. That extra thickness will insure the bow doesn't bend in the handle popping off the riser.

How do you taper down the belly, can't use a draw knife on lumberyard material.  I use a hand plane going very easy and measuring the thickness as I go.
Finishing taper I usually use a belt sander careful not to hog off to much. [/b]

Sometimes, I'll use an electric hand planer to take a lot of wood off in a hurry.  It takes 1/32 at a time so I have to play it pretty conservative.  A sureform rasp is my go-to wood remover, though.

A draw knife turned backward & held perpendicular to the belly (blade vertical to the wood) takes tiny scrapes.  I learned this on a chunk of ash I was recently working on.  I used this as my primary tillering scraper for my last board bow and managed to avoid making a kids bow for a change.  Shoots better than anything I've made so far.  Still doing the finish work on that one.