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Author Topic: bark backing??  (Read 2202 times)

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Shadow Walker

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bark backing??
« on: September 18, 2009, 11:10:57 pm »
I was wondering if anyone has tried iron wood bark as a backing material? I have made a few bows now from ironwood and I have one I was going to back with bamboo.
However, while cleaning my shop tonight, I came across the long strips of bark ( I had peeled it from the logs of spring cut ironwood, and it came off in wide long strips )
Upon inspection of it, I noticed it was rock hard and had some camber to it. I am soaking it right now in hot water so that i can press it flat again. I think it might actually work well as a backing. I am going to try it anyway, so, I'll post the results in a few days.
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Offline sailordad

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Re: bark backing??
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2009, 10:01:25 am »
nope never used bark as a backing
i know some on here have used cherry bark,but i dont know about ironwood bark.
i have always scraped all of the bark off on hhb,i leave some cambium on for camo


you said it had some "camber to it",are you a mechanic? not too many people outside of automotives know what that means
i do cause ive been wrenching 20+yrs,with geometry as a specialty(alignments) amongst other areas
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i always wanted a harley,untill it became the "thing to ride"
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Offline Pat B

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Re: bark backing??
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2009, 10:08:45 am »
Most barks I am familiar with are too brittle and not strong enough in tension strength bow bow backings. A few of the cherries do have bark appropriate for backings.  If the bark cracks the crack  will travel down through the body of the bow.  There was an article in an older PA about a guy that used the cambium of hickory, left on the bow, as a backing. This is something I want to try but haven't yet.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Keenan

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Re: bark backing??
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2009, 10:53:22 am »
 I would agree with Pat. Most are to brittle. However if the fibers are lenticular and remain pliable it might work well. Dry some and do a bend test is the best way to know.
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Offline kylerprochaska

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Re: bark backing??
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2009, 11:21:13 am »
Ive never done it but there is a build a long with cherry back in the how to's section...resluts look great, can't wait to see how it turns out for ya.

-Ky
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GBR!

Offline Pat B

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Re: bark backing??
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2009, 12:27:27 pm »
Not just any cherry will work either. Be sure what you have before you try it. As Keenan suggested, do a test piece to see how it performs.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Shadow Walker

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Re: bark backing??
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2009, 04:54:30 pm »
well, I flattened out the bark last night and all is going well up to this point. I guess in reality it would be the cambium that I am using. It is approx. 3|8" thick and looks much like thes tructure of bamboo. It seems to run in continuous long fibres that are very tight like the grain of bamboo. I cut the tree that this piece came from in the very early spring when it was very sappy, so the bark and cambium cave off very nicely and fully intact when I peeled it around the circumference of the log.now as long as I can successfully remove the rough bark from the cambium, I should be in business!
I'll post the results when I'm finished.
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