Bow Woods - Techincal Specifics

[BrokenArrow]

MOR-higher the better (rounded to millions)
MOE-lower the better (rounded to thousands)
(MOR/MOE) x 1000=the higher the better / /
Specific Gravity ( ) the higher the better
Weight [ ] the higher the better
Crushing Strength { } the higher the better

-Pignut Hickory 20-2260-/8.9/ [53lb](.66) {9,190}
-Maple-Hard:Rock,Sugar 16-1830-/8.6/ [44lb](.56)
-Ash-White 15-1740-/8.6/ [42lb](.55)
-Purpleheart 22-2586-/8.5/ [56lb](.76) {12,140}
-Jatoba (Brz Cherry) 23-2745-/8.2/ [57lb]](.77) {11,780}
IPI (Braz Walnut ) 26-3200-/8.0/ [69lb](.91) {13,600}
-Canarywood 18-2285-/7.9/ [52lb](.65)
-Pacific Yew 15-1350-/11.3/ [44lb](.60)
-Osage Orange 19-1689-/11.0/ [54lb](.76)

What does all this mean to me? I back for board bows using hickory and the cores are in order Jatoba and Purpleheart then IPE and for wood bows (I have no experience here) yew and osage.
I have had terrible results with black walnut (core), maple (backing), Yucatan Rosewood (core) and cherry (core)
I do live in a very dry climate:(
I would like to hear about other peoples experiences with these woods and others?

[Wooden Spring]

I just managed to update a drawing I keep where I keep track of the dimensions of bows that work out great for me. See if this helps you out at all.

I just noticed a typo though....   Under "1/8" Hickory backing over Jatoba" the last two bows need to have their poundages changed...  The 1 3/8" wide @ 7/16" thick is actually 40-45, and the 1 1/4" @ 7/16" thick is 35-40lbs... (they were REALLY close to one another)

[Jim Davis]

Broken,

If you got your info from the results of The Forest Products Laboratories (nearly all later lists are taken from theirs), note that  their numbers for Osage are for green wood. They mean almost nothing.

Also, lower modulus of elasticity does not indicate more strength, it indicates a more brittle wood--wood that will break  before bending as far.

Wooden spring, very nice image.

Jim Davis

[BrokenArrow]

http://www.wood-database.com/about/

take a look at this website and tell me what you think. It actually has an article on bow making:)

[Wooden Spring]

I've looked at that website before, but in all honesty, the best way to determine a "good" or a "bad" bow wood is just simply to make a bow out of it. In my experience, there are very few woods that make a "bad" bow as long as you've got good grain.

[Wiley]

Wooden spring mind sharing what program do you use to create such nice bow drawings?

[Jim Davis]

http://www.wood-database.com/about/

take a look at this website and tell me what you think. It actually has an article on bow making:)

Those numbers appear to also come from the FPL...

[zenart]

Wooden spring mind sharing what program do you use to create such nice bow drawings?

Computer Graphics: Any vector based program will do the job. Adobe Illustrator is the best. IMHO

Traditional: A steady hand, Pen & Ink and good set of ellipses and/or compass. 

[zenart]

Here's a spec list compiled by Tim Baker:

https://sites.google.com/site/onemississipp/bowwoods

[Wooden Spring]

Wooden spring mind sharing what program do you use to create such nice bow drawings?

It's AutoCAD. I work for a company that's got it on our machines, but I've got ViaCAD at home that works faily well, and is MUCH cheaper.