Hickory Backed Ash - Opinions Wanted !!!

[barebo]

O.K.........so I decided to scrap the Bamboo and Cherry and Black Walnut backing and got a really sweet Hickory backing strip.
Now, here is the million dollar question. What would be the best design for a hunting weight Hickory backed Ash bow ??
Right now, the stave is 70" long and 2" wide.  I don't want to heat or steam in reflex , but am leaning to either a classic American Flatbow of maybe 66"NTN, or a narrow longbow style . Pros and cons -- anyone that can tell me what is going to be a better choice.
The Ash is nice and clean - knot free - thick growth rings. Looking for mid to high 50# @ 27". Also, can anyone give me a short (or long) tutorial on heat treating the belly - I've got a heat gun, but never used it on a bow. Does the tempering/heat treating really have a noticeable effect on performance??  Let's have some ideas - I'm ready to try something new !!!

[stallion27]

The first bow I built was a hickory backed ash reflex deflex style bow, no heat treating or anything. All the reflex and deflex was made via the form I built and glued it up in. It was about 60# @ 28", 66" NTN. The woods both came from clean boards I bought at a local lumber yard. Here is the link if you want to check it out.

Eric

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,12681.0.html

[dragonman]

I've made a few ash bows that all took a big set , I reckon 70" with at least 2" at the fades is about right ,if unbacked, but never backed them myself. It does respond well to heat treatment, but if the ash turns more than a light brown mine all chrysaled, hope that is a help

[barebo]

Stallion27 - how wide are the limbs, and how thick ?? Looks like the limbs carry a lot of thickness , which surprises me with the Hickory backing.

[stallion27]

I think the limbs were 1.5" wide until the last 12 inches where they tapered to 1/2 inch. The thickness was a 1/2" to about 1/4" over 30" of limb. The backing strip was 1/8" thick.

[sulphur]

save the hickory strip for something else, maybe the cherry.  Ash works well as a self bow.  as long as the board is decently straight grained.  I make ash self bows all the time.  they are surprisingly sweet shooters.  2" wide with straight taper to .5" tps will work great.  68" long 66" ntn.

[OldBow]

Hmmm - I am working on a ash backed hickory bow. Perhaps I can't be helpful here.

[RyanY]

I agree with sulfur about using the hickory for something else.  I hear cherry has good compressive strength so a hickory backing might be good with that.  As for the style bow I would go with a perry reflexed holmegaard style bow.  You can make it as long as you want but I would leave the width at two inches till mid limb and eiffel tower from there to the tips. Also I don't think that heat treating would be too good on a laminated bow just because it could cause delamination with the heat.  Heat treating has been proven to increase performance in bows by upping compressions strength in belly wood and is said to work well with ash.  Let us know what you decide to do and I'd love to help.

[barebo]

Thanks for all of the suggestions !! I made a post a few weeks ago as to why I needed to back this one. I had a Perfect stave that I wanted to reduce some on a bandsaw, and the head carpenter at work actually took the crown right off on a jointer table !!!
I was really careful to remove the bark and cambium, and had a really nice flat , clean back. The rings are pretty thick, and he violated them pretty good. BUT......I have a nice surface for a glue up, and already have the Hickory strip.
The only reason that I opted for removing wood with the bandsaw was that the stave was only 2 months cut, and about 5"x5". It would have taken a LOT of drawkinfe work to reduce it down. I guess I'm pushing it to dry by thinning it down, but want to get to bending wood!!!  So Sulphur, you are using a straight taper from the fades right out to the tips??  That looks like a sweet design.
When you tiller that style, are you looking for the limbs to bend starting at the fades, or mostly mid limb doing the work?? Is there a thread whrer I can see your bow drawn?? I think you have made my mind up - I like it!!