Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Wiley on April 11, 2014, 01:09:47 am
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I have a bow that is going to need a hard backing. Lets say I have a very straight 1/4 sawn piece of white oak or hickory 2 inches thick, do I cut a strip following the end grain or do I cut perpendicular to the gain? Some of the pictures I have looked at and some of what I've read it seems like some people go perpendicular to the grain, but something about it just doesn't seem like it would be as strong. I've done some googling on it and haven't really found a good answer so I thought I would ask.
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If it's quartersawn you could cut it either way, if you cut with the grain it would be flatsawn and. you could chase a ring , cut the other way and you have a quartersawn backer, that is what I prefer, but both will work
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A backing lamination can be either flat sawn, rift sawn or quartersawn. I prefer quartersawn and especially rift sawn myself, but flat sawn will work as well. The disadvantage of full quartersawn wood, is that the medullary rays in the oak are exposed on the entire width of the bow, which seems a bit weak to me. Also, any tiny pin knot will span the entire width of the bow in quartersawn backings, again weakening the wood.