Author Topic: wood backing?  (Read 4582 times)

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Offline bootboy

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wood backing?
« on: December 03, 2007, 04:26:17 am »
Hi there fellas!
  A few days ago I got into a very neat bowyers trade with finnish native.
We're both going to be making one another a bow for christmas. He requested a hickory backed oak pyramid about 160cm long. (i'll figure that out in inches later)
Anyways mates I got myself a problem I've never used any backing apart from sinew and rawhide (i hate rawhide) So how thick should the hickory be for a bow that long? 1/8" 1/4"...1/16th???

How much clamping will be neccesary blah blah blah Im a bit intimidated by this small task.HELP!
knapp 'um if you got 'um

Offline adb

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2007, 10:40:18 am »
Hi,
I use 1/8" quarter sawn hickory, glued with TB3.

Offline bootboy

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2007, 01:46:24 pm »
brilliant! cheers mate
knapp 'um if you got 'um

Offline Pat B

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2007, 12:47:17 am »
1/8" is good. You can reduce that if necessary...even after it is on the bow.  Ideally, Quarter sawn(lllll) or Bias sawn(/////) is what you want but I have used hickory for backings with all sorts of grain and never had a failure.     Pat
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline bootboy

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2007, 08:14:51 am »
So Hickory is some kind of wonder wood for bows?

I've used it to make maces, and found that it cracks and splits rediculously.
Anytips to stop the cracks from forming.
knapp 'um if you got 'um

Offline snedeker

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2007, 09:36:23 am »
I put clamps about every 3", using 3"x1.5"x1/4" scraps of wood as pads, one under each clamp.

IHickory is amazing strong in tension.  I don't know why its splitting on you in your other uses though.

Dave

Offline Coo-wah-chobee

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2007, 10:14:12 am »
       Dave .....................................Why aint ya workin' and busy ? Ya goofin' off ? ;D.....bob

Offline snedeker

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2007, 03:03:11 pm »
I hope the CEO doesn't find out.  My wife.

Offline Coo-wah-chobee

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Re: wood backing?
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2007, 03:04:57 pm »
........................ :D :D :D Knows what ya mean ! :o :o :o............bob