Trilam bow?

[buddyb]

I'm thinking about and probably will build a trilam bow. I was thinking of hickory back walnut, cherry or red cedar core and hickory belly. So would this combo work very well or is there something else I should use. I'm not too interested in bamboo back.....just because  I don't have a drum sander so I'd have to use a planer to make the lams. It would be the standard ASL style bow with straight or slightly reflexed limbs.

I would like it to come out around 50lbs at 28" so what should I be working for as far as dimensions?  length 66" ntn

[Pat B]

If it were me, I'd look for something with more compression strength for the belly like osage or ipe. Hickory backing with any of the core woods you mentioned and osage or ipe belly. 

[BMorv]

I agree with Pat on the belly selection.
I never built an ASL so I’m not sure if there’s certain dimensions you should follow.  Just some rough guidelines that work well for a lot of tri lams designs:
1 3/8” at the fades for 6” then taper to 1/2” tips.  3/16” core with a taper, 1/4” belly, 1/8” backing. 
You’ll have to dial in your recipe as you build a few. 
I’m confused by the bamboo drum sander comment.  I use bamboo for my tri lams and I don’t have a dum sander.  You use the outside of the bamboo for a backing, not the inside like you would if you were making bamboo lams.

[Roy from Pa]

You live in Ohio and are surrounded by Osage.

No hickory for the belly I say.

[buddyb]

Thank you for the input.

Roy I don't have a drum sander to make laminations but would have to use the table saw or a planer.

The reason I said no bamboo is because I'm trying to use all local woods otherwise I wouldn't have an issue 

Also Roy, looking at your bows and a few others has made me want to build one lol. Plus if possible I'd like to work with just wood and not fiberglass. I'm not sure about durability or longevity with the wood bows yet though. I have fiberglass laminated bows still kicking that I built in the mid 1980s 

[buddyb]

I haven't found any osage lumber around here yet. I know where there are some trees though

[Roy from Pa]

Go out and talk to folks, osage is a nuisance to some of them, a few will let you cut one down.

Other guys sell osage.

[IowaHedge]

I usually look at local sale site for people selling hedge fence posts.  Then I call and talk to them.  Everyone that I’ve called has let me dig through there piles and if they were any good ones. I don’t mind paying for the ease of just picking them out of the stack and pitching them in the truck.  On that note also I’ve asked farmers if they care about cutting one I see/find and if you have a cleanup plan in place for all the extra you won’t use I haven’t been turned away. Usually get weird looks on why I would want it.

[Pat B]

Give Kenny a call. He'll fix you up.