what is a good compression wood?

[blades7558]

Im planning on making an english longbow that is laminated with hickory being on the back. I have maple on hand and red oak. Im looking for at least 55 to 60 lbs out of it more likely 55 though. I made an enlish long bow out of just hickory and found out the hard way that hickory is not good at compression so time to try again

[loefflerchuck]

Incense cedar

[Badger]

   I would choose maple before red oak as a good elb wood. Maple is not yew but will make a pretty decent longbow and is a bit more tolerant of moisture than hickory. Up to about 10% mc maple will do a decent job. Steve

[SA]

hickory and red oak is a good combo, maple is good as long as it is not the soft stuff.

[sweeney3]

I've heard of red oak being used in ELBs.  Try it and see.

[bigcountry]

Yew, osage, IPE, all good compression woods.

[Silent Bear]

Hickory is plenty strong enough in compression to make a good elb around 60 pound, I just recently made an all hickory 110 pound english warbow rounded belly and had 1 inch of set I toasted the belly and sealed it two hours later the key is to get it at a very low mc

[blades7558]

That's odd the hickory I have took a large set and only came out to 45 lbs. I don't know what species it is so it most likely is the pecan variety.  I think ill try the red oak first then the maple on a second bow. I have eastern redcedar.. which I would belive is incence but im not sure. Ill do some research and figure that out. Im glad elbs don't take long to make it looks like I have 3. Potential bows ahead of me thanks everyone

[JackCrafty]

There's a simple test I use to check if a piece of wood will be good in compression.  I make a crude arrow shaft out of the wood and then try to straighten it.  If it's hard to straighten without heat, and if it's crooked again the next day, then the wood is excellent in compression.

Using this test, I have found the following woods to be very good in compression:  Hophornbeam, dogwood, ipe, osage (dense), and juniper.

[Cacatch]

Patrick

Even the Hop Hornybeam? I might have to try a narrow HHB if that's the case.

CP

[JackCrafty]

Yep, HHB is great stuff.

[Cacatch]

Cool. Nice to know, thanks Pat.