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Author Topic: Best bow woods in compression?  (Read 12784 times)

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Offline Red Dwarf

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Best bow woods in compression?
« on: June 15, 2008, 11:07:16 pm »
I am going to give a backed bow another try , after a couple of spectacular failures with hickory on elm!

What would be the top half a dozen or so bow woods when looking for something that is strong(flexible) in compression to match with a hickory or bamboo backing?

Red Dwarf
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Offline bcbull

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2008, 11:19:14 pm »
 my choice is ipe  or osage good luck
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Offline Dano

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2008, 11:25:45 pm »
My choice would be osage or ah osage  ;D
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"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."


Nevada

radius

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2008, 11:32:33 pm »
i have also had some great success with hickory backed OSAGE ORANGE

in my room i can see...right now...about 7 or 8 hickory backed osage orange bows of different styles...all successes
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Offline Ryano

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  • Ryan O'Sullivan, North Western Pennsylvania
Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2008, 11:52:42 pm »
I've made nice hickory and bamboo backed osage, black locust,hhb and maple. You just need to adjust the design of the bow to fit the type of of wood you use.
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Its November, I'm gone hunt'in.......
Osage is still better.....

Offline adb

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2008, 01:31:22 am »
osage, osage, osage... then yew, ipe, or maple. Did I mention osage?
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radius

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2008, 01:39:48 am »
yeah, i think you did! ;D ;D
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Rich Saffold

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2008, 01:43:10 am »
Ipe,osage, yew, hickory.
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radius

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2008, 01:47:57 am »
so far i haven't had great luck with maple...seems to come in underweight all the time, dangit!
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Offline Coo-wah-chobee

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2008, 02:01:02 am »
Ipe, snakewood, osage, yew, hickory.....bob
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Offline Ryano

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  • Ryan O'Sullivan, North Western Pennsylvania
Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2008, 10:23:31 am »
Hickory's actualy not to good in compression but great in tension.
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Its November, I'm gone hunt'in.......
Osage is still better.....

Offline snedeker

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2008, 10:27:23 am »
Osage, yew, a bunch of the tropical hardwoods (massuranduba, bubinga, etc).   Mesquite.

Black locust is great with hickory backing but you wouldn't say it is strong in compression.
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Offline adb

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2008, 12:03:19 pm »
I'd have to agree with Ryan... hickory is a great wood, but far excels at tension than compression. My #1 choice as a backing wood.
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Offline JackCrafty

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  • Sorry Officer, I was just gathering "materials".
Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2008, 12:21:19 pm »
As a general rule, the heavier the wood (per cubic foot) the better the compression strength.  Heaviest woods:

Domestic:
Ironwood (HHB, Desert Ironwood, etc.)
Dogwood (except osier)
Serviceberry
Osage
True Hickory (pignut, mockernut, shagbark)
Oak (live oak, swamp white)
Black Locust

Imports:
Ipe
Bubinga
Bulletwood (Lignumvitae, kaneelhart, etc.)
(many others)
« Last Edit: June 16, 2008, 12:47:36 pm by jackcrafty »
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grantmac

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Re: Best bow woods in compression?
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2008, 02:42:28 pm »
I've been using Eastern Red Cedar and it is a joy to work with, but it does require a very careful tiller. Otherwise it's been all Ipe for me.
       Cheers,
               Grant
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