Longbow core wood?

[Goshawkin]

Originally posted by BWD:
Between the three you mentioned, I don't think it matters in a glass bow. Depends on which you would rather look at, even if from a side view.

I agree

[nineworlds9]

Originally posted by Goshawkin:
 

Originally posted by BWD:
Between the three you mentioned, I don't think it matters in a glass bow. Depends on which you would rather look at, even if from a side view.

I agree [/b]

Curly maple looks very nice from the side

[kennym]

Here is a bit of reading for ya, I did a test on cores a few years back. The bows made a little different weights, and I didn't have time to properly test with 9 gpp on each one.

Sure hated that, but was donating a couple of em and they had to go!!

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=001491#000000

[bulldog18]

I love the looks and the way yew performs. I have two Dwyers I bought used and they both have ash in the limbs. One of them has curly ash and it looks good.

[subsonic]

I like maple and elm but sassafras is a hidden gem!

[Sam McMichael]

I have elm and persimmon bows and like them both.

[oldtimerbow]

Elm is smoother drawing, faster and quiter than bamboo IMO in a longbow limb.

[JRY309]

Red elm,I have a few bows with red elm.Excellent core wood in my opinion.Can be used flat grain or edge grain.

[New Wood]

Hey Mike, you know how much I like elm.  I don't know how Dave sets up the lams in his Original but I have had some real good feedback from customers when I used a combo of Hard Maple and Elm.  

Take Care,   Chris

[darin putman]

Not had a lot of experience with different woods mostly bamboo in longbow and yew in reflex deflex, both shot good, but currently shooting 4 lams of Osage and loving it, got rid of bamboo core longbow just to keep it.Both bows shot great but like the feel of the osage!!!

[Nativestranger]

Imo design plays a bigger part in how a bow shoots.  Comparing 2 different woods in 2 different longbow designs tells very little about the shooting qualities. In theory a lighter core will perform better but in practice it may not be as simple as that. I have read of solid glass limbs shooting faster (but more shocky) than wood laminated ones so apparently bending hysteresis loss has something to do with it as well.

[Sixby]

I've built and tested bows with all of them, Hickory, elm , maple and yew all faster than boo . Boo feels a bit smoother to me but if I were building a bow I had to depend on for my life it would be good clear edge grain maple. Next would be hickory but maple is more homogenous. Elm has a very coarse interlocking grain. I like it real well but it is a bear to fill and seal the edges of elm on the limbs. I have also had a harder time getting good edge grain elm and hickory compared to maple.
I am not a fan of walnut. Some of it seems to have a property that does not adhere to the glue well. I have seen several walnut lam bows delaminate in my lifetime and it was always the glue line.  But there are thousands of bows build that are over fifty years old with maple lams that still are going strong and some of them have hundreds of thousands of shots under their belts.
I believe that Howatt, Pearson , Wing, Bear and all those great bow companies knew what they were doing and its a proven thing.
If you want flatout pretty though. Yew cores look fantastic and so does tigerwood, perhaps the unsung great core wood.
God bless, Steve

[NBK]

Thanks for your insight Chris and Steve.  I love it when bowyers add their perspective.

[Stone Knife]

Originally posted by longbowray:
Yew

I second that  

[BenBow]

I've become a fan of real edge grain Douglas fir. It has to be the real d fir & not the crap that's sold many places. It's very stiff for its weight.

[joe skipp]

I love Yew..That's what I had Kempf put in my longbow but Wavy Zebrawood also looks neat.

 

 

Wavy Zebra stained gray to match a gray riser.

 

[NBK]

Thanks joe.  Is that coco bolo in the riser of the yew bow?

[joe skipp]

Yes..dark cocobolo....here is a photo.

 

[oldway]

I have tried most woods at one time or another,but for all round best limb core I find carbonize laminated bamboo the best.It's priced reasonably and easy to find at most lumberyards.It looks pretty good under clear glass too.But I do have to agree with Sixby that edge grain maple for a limb core would be second.

[Canadabowyer]

Hard maple or red elm, or red elm back and belly, maple core.  Bob