ELB wood choice

[kiltedcelt]

Not sure if this is the appropriate forum since I don't want to make a 100# + bow but I figure you guys should know a thing or two. Also I cross posted it in the regular bows forum. I'm looking to make an ELB - weight about 50# - draw length around 31" - Obviously Ipe seems to be the first choice, backed by bamboo. I'm assuming if I make the Ipe belly thin enough it won't end up drawing a bazillion pounds. Does anyone back these with hickory or is it always bamboo? Is there a non-yew or osage wood to use that could make a "D" cross section ELB that wouldn't need a backing, in the weight I want?

[Rod]

It's less a matter of choice of wood type than of grain selection in the wood of your choice.

If you have sawn wood laminations then backing is the conventional solution, if you have a stave then backing should not be necessary.

I'm sure you'll get plenty of good advice from the likes of Steve (Badger) or Marc on the other conference.

I have a 20lb lancewood selfbow by Aldred that my grandad used as a child,
Ipe with a bamboo backiing will make a very fast thin bow if you get it right.
Two laminate lawn archery bows are commonly lemonwood with a hickory backing, but there are as many options as there are woods.

Rod.

[kiltedcelt]

I guess I should clarify that I want to stick with boards versus staves because I don't really have access to staves unless I buy them and I don't know if I can justify a minimum of $50 for a stave since I don't have a whole lot of bows under my belt yet. I can buy Ipe locally or for that matter many other types of hardwood lumber. I think a laminate of two woods would probably be my best option and most forgiving to slight mistakes I might make. 

[alanesq]

If you can get some kiln dried ash this makes a good (and very cheap) self bow
see my "back street bowyer" info. on my homepage at www.alanesq.com for more info on this

I have a 108lb one which was my 2nd try at making a bow and VERY poorly made but it still throws 32" 3/8" arrows 200 yards no problem

[triton]

for a light bow and with the woods you've mentioned so far, I'd use the Ipe as a core in a 3 laminate bow. bamboo or hickory back with a lemonwood belly.  Ipe can be a real swine to scrape when getting the tiller right.  looks nice if you can taper the core, which also helps with tillering and keeps the overall dimensions at the tips looking right. from about 20 inches from the tips taper down to 1/16 from 3/16.
Wash the glueing faces down with acetone if using Ipe.

[OlaP]

Last fall I made a small ELB for my wife. I made it out of an Ipé board and aimed at ~45#@28", it finally turned out 43#, but I believe that if you dared to draw it to 31" you'd get about 48#.


Picture of the stave bending before fitting the horns

So here is my recipe and result:
Total length: 74", ntn 70". Round section from the horns and 3" towards the handle, after this a rather "pointy" D-section all the way down to the handle, which has a more round D-section. 
Measurements width/depth [mm] at different distances ["] measured from the lower horn:
10/11@0", 15/13@8", 19/15@16", 22/17@24", 25/20@32", handle ~25/21 for 4", 25/20@36", 22/17@44", 19/16@52", 15/14@60", 12/12@68", 11/11@70".
(Sorry about the mm, but just divide the mm-number with 25,4 and you'll get the measurement in inches instead)
Total weight: 470 grams
Set, after ~150 arrows: 1¼"
Arrow speed with 10 grain/pound: ~155 fps


If you made a similar bow, with either a more rounded D-section or just one mm more depth, I assume you'd hit your desired weight of 50#@31".
Cheers,
Ola

[Fitzcarraldo]

Hi Ola,

That's a gorgeous-looking bow.  I want to make one just like it for my girlfriend (and another for myself!).

Also, Alan's Backstreet Bowyer guide is really great.  It's for a full-compass bow as opposed to a Victorian one, but it makes things very easy to understand.  It's the best guide to building an ELB I have found.