Warbow Materials Question

[Wooden Spring]

Well, I've built a longow according to the dimensions on "The Longbow Series" DVD's, but I didn't have the woods that they suggested, so here's what I've got. The bow is 6'-6" long end to end, it is 1 1/2" wide and 1 1/8" thick at the handle with 1/2" square nocks. The shape of the bow is a "D" shaped cross-section, with the length being a series of arcs - I draw an arc from one nock to the center, and then continue it to the other nock. I also arc the belly in the same fasion. The end result is a very organic looking bow that almost immediately pulls full compass. Now, I was only able to get a hold of Ipe and Hickory, and not knowing any better, I assembled it as 1/8" Hickory backing, 1/4" Ipe core, and a Hickory Belly. The problem is that when I put this thing on the tillering stick, my 210 pound girth wasn't able to pull it past 30" - I just hung there from the string bouncing like a cork on a fishing line. Now, where did I go wrong? I'm aiming for a bow that's in the 100# range. Was my problem in Dimensions? Choice of materials? Or was the arched shapes that did it? HELP PLEASE!!!!

[fusizoli]

Ipe is not core material, but more than belly material.

I would use just hickory first, without any lamination, but heat treated belly.

If laminate hickory on a ipe belly 1/8 is very thin! 1/4 or more needs from that, but I'm not a pro in lamination Ipe could overpower hickory, boo is better for backing.

[Ian.]

Your first port of call should be the website dedicated to problems related to the video. But I can speak on behalf of Steve on this one that firstly, Hickory is not really the best/easiest wood to use on the belly, secondly, your dimensions for anything other than Lemonwood are too large. When I make laminates with an Ipe belly I tend to not go much more than 32/30mm in the center, which yields bows in the 140lb range.

[JackCrafty]

I'm not a warbow expert but there seems to be plenty of room to remove some width.  I would also remove about 1/16 inch off the belly from tip to tip

Pictures would help.

[Wooden Spring]

I would post pictures but I don't have a clue how to do that... Do they have to be stored online first, then hyperlinked in?
Let me ask this then, given what was said in response, how does this setup sound?

Length - 6'-6"
Width - 1 1/4"
Thickness - 15/16" (This makes the thickness 75% of the width)
Nocks - 1/2" x 1/2"
Backing - 1/4" Hickory
Belly - Ipe

Would this produce a bow in the 100# range? And what kind of cast should I expect with this setup? Ipe is pretty tough stuff, so I would imagine that it would be anything but a sluggish bow.

One final question, if a hickory backed ipe bow would yield a bow in the desirable poundage range, what is the advantage of a core lamination?

Thanks for putting up with the newbie questions!

[}|{opukc]

Must ensure that Hickory is very good.

These basic dimensions should give a good hickory/ipe warbow over 100#
With Ipe can go and thinner end nocks - 3/8



You can always shorten less if inadequately weight.

[DarkSoul]

You should tiller your bow, and not just make a piece of wood by dimensions. A bow is an organic structure that needs to be made into a bow rather than just following a set figure and just expect a bow to magically appear from the piece of wood.

[markinengland]

Another thing to bear in mind is that with a bow like this gluing into reflex, even a little reflex  can add significantly to draw weight.

I once put too much reflex into a fairly "normal" size hickory backed Ipe bow like yours. It was pulling 120lbs at 3 inches before it stretched a non-stretch tillering string, twisted, reversed and snapped!

Mark in England

[}|{opukc]

Jorik, This is approximately where it should work. The bow always tiller, it is inevitable.