Design advice re scotch broom

[stuckinthemud]

Evening everyone,
I'm trying to pluck up enough courage to take on my first sinew backed bow. I have a stash of scotch broom in 30" lengths I thought I might use to make a 3 or 5 piece but they are narrow (1.5") and high crowned. I only draw 24" and my preferred weight is about 35# but I also don't much like the stacking effect you get from short bows; my bows seem to end up at around 65" usually. Any design advice would be welcome as would any help from anyone with experience with this timber.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew

[Badger]

   I think I would splice them in the center and cut in a recurve splice on each end for a short 4" recurve. If the bow came out about 1 1/4 wide I would likely make it a semi bendy handle design with the tips of the bow maybe 2 1/2" behind the back.

[vinemaplebows]

Badger,


               You had much luck with scotch broom? I have a reflexed stave here, wondering how well it is in compression?

[Badger]

   I have heard it is pretty good, does the stave have some weight to it? What are the dimensions?

[DC]

I've got a couple of staves I'm waiting on. Be interesting to see how this works.

[stuckinthemud]

out of my 8 billets, 6 have taken on a lot of reflex as they dried out. They were cut in March this year.  Assuming the moisture content is still high, will some, or all, of this reflex reduce as the wood finishes seasoning?

[vinemaplebows]

The stave I have is 54 inches long, 1/1/2 wide 7 inches of reflex.

[stuckinthemud]

Badger,

the growth rings are about 2mm apart, density seems pretty high - a really firm push on my thumbnail leaves no real mark in the wood - can't give a dry weight as I think mine are not done drying out yet