Board bow backing

[grinner]

HI, I am making a board bow and I want to back it with snakeskin but i want to make sure it is not going to break when tillering or be way to low of poundage. My question is could i back it with linen and then put the snake skin over it when I am all done?
Thanks

[Pat B]

You can add linen, silk, brown grocery bag paper or rawhide and add the snake skins over that. The backings will "help" protect the back but a bow with bad grain (run offs back to belly and side to side), knots or other maladies can still break with any of these backings.
  Once you build your bow, shoot it at least 100 shots(more the better) before you add the snake skin backing to be sure it will hold up.

[vinemaplebows]

 What Pat said.

[grinner]

ok thanks for the help

[grinner]

Would I be better off putting 2 layers of paper bag and then the snake skin?
Thanks

[vinemaplebows]

Paper drywall tape works good, is cheap, and comes in a unbroken length. Should be enough to back a few bows.

[dmikeyj]

Whatever backing you choose to use, I would suggest to only use one strip.  Multiple layers of cloth, paper, etc. will not give extra strength, it will only add unwanted weight to the limbs, slowing down the bow's action. 
Personally, I would go with a silk or linen backing, then shoot the crap out of the bow like Pat says.  Then, when you are sure its a keeper, do the snake skin, or- you could paint a snake pattern on the backing, and save the snake skin for a really nice wood selfbow (I am assuming red oak board, you didn't mention).

Just a thought.
Mike

[Pat B]

Like Mike said, only one layer of any backing material is sufficient. More is overkill and will detract from the performance of your bow.
  If you don't think brown grocery bag paper and glue are strong coat a piece of brown paper with glue and let it dry. Now try to mpull it apart! Not tear but pull like a bow would do when drawn. The combo of the paper and the glue is way stronger than either by themselves. Most paper is made from wood fibers.