Help with backing issue....

[Stingray45]

I have a quick question about an issue I was having with some backing. I am currently working on a Red Oak backed Hackberry longbow. I heard a cracking sound when I pulled the bow to about 22" and it was pulling around 45# at that point. I searched and searched and searched and found nothing. Actually at one point thought it was my tillering stick that did the cracking so I made a new one haha, but then heard the pop again when I pulled the bow. So I let it back down but left it braced and searched again. I found a tiny tiny hairline crack going perpendicular to grain on the Red Oak backing. So I put some superglue on it, let that dry and sanded it smooth. Then I took thread rapped it around the limb, about a 1/4" thick and superglued it on the back of the bow and sanded off what was on the belly. And then for extra caution I backed the whole thing with linen. Any ideas on if this should solve my problem? Or it this bow pretty much done? It's a nice little bow with at lot of pop so far. 66" ntn, about 1.5 wide the length of the bow except the last 10" on each limb I tapered it down to 3/8" nocks. I was shooting for about 55#@28", which being that I hit 45#@22" I believe I should be able to get there unless the backing fails on me. Thanks for any input you can provide.

[adb]

If it was me, I would have combined your wood in the opposite combination. Hickory makes one of the best backings there is. It sucks in compression, however. I just don't think the oak is up to the task as a backing for hickory. I'm sure someone will pipe up and disagree, but your combination is not ideal. Try and stack the odds in your favour for next time. Cheers. 

[Cacatch]

If you can, turn the bow around and shoot backwards. You may have to change the knocks, and chase a ring on the belly, but as was said above, the red oak is not the best choice to back hickory. The hickory should be backing it.  This is my advice because it is what I would do.

CP

[Stingray45]

Ok guys I apologize I messed up on my original post. It is a Red Oak backed HACKEBERRY bow, not Hickory. My fault. I'll make the change above to help with the confusion.

[Parnell]

Hmm, I think I would look to back it with cloth or something, maybe silk from the fabric store.

[Stingray45]

I didnt take any pictures as I should have before I patched it. I used TB-II so if I can heat it up I'm not opposed to removing the backing strip. I actually have a pretty nice piece of hickory that I cut to 1/4" I could probably rip it in half for a good 1/8" backing or I might be able to leave it where it's at and glue it on for a backing. I'll try prying it off tonight because like you said Scott Im the same way, even if I get it all tillered up and everything I'll have trust issues all the time.

[Stingray45]

Just wanted to let everyone know I have decided to set this bow aside for a while. I have another piece of hackberry from the same board, Im going to back it with hickory and work on it. I also have another piece of that sycamore that I made a bow with previously, Im gonna see if I can get a heavier bow in the 50#-55# range out of it. Gonna make it a little longer, leaving it 70" ttt, 68" ntn. Would prefer 55#@28", so we'll see hwo it goes, got it all marked up to start working on when I get home from work today. Gonna sand down the peice of hickory I got and glue it on to the hackberry tonight as well. Actually once its glued on I'm gonna rip it in half because its about 1/4" which is pretty thin to rip it down in half by itself on the band saw. But once its glued to a thick piece of wood I should be able to rip it down to 1/8" attached to the blank and leaving myself with another 1/8" piece to glue to this other piece of hackeberry once I'm able to pry the redoak off of it.

[Stingray45]

Sorry one more question. What does everyone think of the idea of removing the linen backing, and gluing the hickory on top of the redoak? Basically a tri-lam hickory, red oak, hhackberry bow? Or since the redoak is compromised should it just be removed?