Trilam bow with Padauk core - do's/dont's?

[alexw]

Hi there

Having managed to get an option on some very competitively-priced padauk, I'm getting things ready to make a trilam with it as core.

The only previous thread I've seen here about padauk is pretty ambivalent; has anyone tried it at reasonably high draw weights (think, 80-plus)?

Will do a number of test bows, partnering with maple back & lemonwood/ipe/jatoba bellies.

Any do's & don'ts ("Don't work with the bloody stuff!" is an acceptable answer gratefully received.

Thanks!

[Badger]

  Core woods don't have all that much effect on the outcome unless they are extreme in some way, mostly they are just spacers. Most like to keep core woods on the light side if possible.

[alexw]

Thanks. Have you used it yourself, found it too hard/soft/greasy/impossible to glue, etc?

[toomanyknots]

I tried it as a core, the wood was just too brittle and delaminated easy, also chrysaled. But I don't know if that was just the paduak I have or what.