Better in compression?

[MAK]

Which would do better behind bamboo, hickory or hard maple?

[DanaM]

Ipe or osage

Hmmm I would say it would be a push between hickory or hard maple

[cracker]

I would go with the maple, my beloved hickory is very week in compression but very strong in tension.Ronnie

[MAK]

Ipe or osage are not an option for me. It's real difficult to get that here in MN uless I go through ebay. Don't want to do that.

The best woods I can get at the local lumber yard that I know folks have used with bamboo are, hickory, hard maple, black walnut, purpleheart, bubinga, jatoba.

I have often wondered if zebrawood, bloodwood, paduak, and wenge would work.

[DanaM]

I sent ya a PM with an offer MAK

[Kegan]

Heat tempered hickory should be fine in compression. Untempered hickory was a go-to like osage for a long while before.

[cracker]

Heat tempered hickory should be fine in compression. Untempered hickory was a go-to like osage for a long while before.

Good point.

[Ryano]

I can't think of a worse compression wood than hickory. Hickory frets hickory. Use the hard maple. I've done a few hickory backed and bamboo backed maples and they came out pretty well. Also see if you can find a mill that saws black locust as it makes a great backed bow as well.

[adb]

I've done several hick backed maple, and they turned out very well.

[dragonman]

I have made several boo backed hickory bows without any problems in regard to the hickory being able to take the compression of the boo, even though it wasn't especially good  hickory, never tried maple ( would like to) .  Ipe is much better though!!!!

[1/2primitive]

I can't think of a worse compression wood than hickory. Hickory frets hickory. Use the hard maple. I've done a few hickory backed and bamboo backed maples and they came out pretty well. Also see if you can find a mill that saws black locust as it makes a great backed bow as well.

Thank you!
I was beginning to think I was crazy for being so frustrated with my Hickory bows taking too much set.
It is very strong, though not in commpression.
    Sean

[DanaM]

MAK I sent ya PM don't know ifin ya got it, but for the price of shipping I will send ya a piece of IPE

[nickf]

MAK, I'm working on a boo-maple-boo right at the moment. I glued the backing on the maple, and tillered it. It got massive set. Maple's a beautyfull wood, but hickory's sure denser. I've seen several excelent boo-backed hickory bows already, so that would be my choice.

I would recommend you to trap the boo though, since it's likely to overpower the belly of these whitewoods.

Nick

[tom sawyer]

I think heat-treating hickory would make it more brittle.

Bloodwood is a great belly wood.  Just make your bow limbs extra skinny, it doesn't take much of that heavy stuff to make weight.