1/16" hickory backing

[MAK]

I have a 1/16" thick piece of quatersawn hickory backing that is 67" long. Could I still use it that thin for backing? If so, on what wood? Does that even matter?

I have a 26" draw and like my bows between 45-55 lbs.

Thanks for any input guys. I've made a bunch of fiberglass bows, and now I'm trying to learn this wood/bamboo only stuff.

[sulphur]

i used a backing that was .090" once, just over 1/16 and it failed.  of course it was on osage so that may make a big difference.

[MAK]

I was thinking that if I used it, it would be on cherry. Wouldn't cherry be easier than osage at 1/16"?

[Grunt]

I've built five cherry bows. The first two were staves that I chased a single ring down on and backed them with linen canvas. The last three I backed with hickory. The last three were good straight grain rift sawn cherry board bows that I glued a 3/16 Hickory strip to. After bandsawing the profiles I used a scraper to take the hickory backing down to a little under 1/8. All five have survived a couple of hundred arrows and the draw weight ranges are 40-50 lbs at 28. Just make sure you have a good straight grained board and don't sand your backing to aggressively. Have fun.

[sulphur]

i think that would work ok for cherry.  i have used hickory on cherrry several times.  makes a great bow that is light in the hand.  good luck with it.

[MAK]

Thanks guys.

[Pat B]

The hickory should be strong enough at 1/16 if the proper belly wood was used. Cherry, black walnut, ERC, maple, etc should do well with a thin hickory backing.