elm or hickory backing?

[jturner]

I just got some hickory and elm lumber most will be unbacked board bows. If i wanted to back some for heavier bows would i be better with elm backed hickory or hickory backed elm?

[radius]

apparently elm makes a great backing and a better selfbow than hickory...probly discard the hickory til the elm was gone!  elm backed elm, hickory backed elm, but i'm pretty much done using hickory as a belly wood in laminates

[jturner]

Thanks. i figured elm should make a good backing the way the gain is interlocked shouldnt lift a splinter. So what would be a good belly for the elm?walnut ash maple? other?

[radius]

considering what guys use most on this site, i'd say osage or ipe.  not walnut, everyone craps on it.

maybe some yew heartwood?  i've got some logs, some of which the sapwood has suffered and could stand to come off.  Elm backing on yew might be pretty cool.

[snedeker]

I've used edge grained red elm to back two bows, a maple and a hackberry, and both worked out well. 

I once did a mapled-backed walnut that came out great and I figure elm would work on it too.

Dave

[adb]

Hickory, ash, maple, and elm... all good backing woods, in that order. All excel in tension.