« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?  (Read 2022 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Prarie Bowyer

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,599
hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« on: October 15, 2011, 03:45:45 am »
Anyone know how well this works out?
Logged

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,633
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2011, 10:48:48 am »
Hickory heartwood is more brittle than the sapwood. I think I'd stick with sapwood for backing.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline backgardenbowyer

  • Member
  • Posts: 130
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2011, 08:48:07 pm »
I've made a couple of ELBs with hickory backings that had a mixture of heartwood and sapwood in them and the bows seems to be holding up fine - but I do think the heartwood might well be more brittle
Logged

Offline bubby

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,054
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2011, 08:58:55 pm »
it says "for backed bow belly's", I think he's talking about useing it for belly's, or am I reading it wrong, Bub
Logged
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,633
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2011, 09:46:39 pm »
Should be fine for bellys.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline adb

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,339
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2011, 10:20:19 pm »
I've had real bad luck with hickory heartwood, as mentioned, being very brittle.
Logged

Offline Prarie Bowyer

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,599
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2011, 08:15:48 pm »
Yes,  I'll be backing with bamboo.  The local source is running low on knot free sap wood 4/4.  I can get 1/2" BUT the price structure changes.  As 4/4 I pay per board foot, rip of a 1/4" and have a piece just over 5/8" and the 1/4".  Then I can save the thin slices and glue several togeather in a deeper form.  Else I just get the one belly for about the same money.
Logged

Offline PEARL DRUMS

  • Member
  • Posts: 14,079
  • }}}--CK-->
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2011, 03:28:17 pm »
My opinion is the boo will absolutely crush the heartwood and chrysal like a sum gun. I have built a few from heartwood and it worked as a self bow fine. The heartwood was VERY light in physical weight. The whole 62" bow weight 14 oz.
Logged
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline bubby

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,054
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2011, 08:54:51 pm »
 I say build one and see what happens, like Pat I think you'll be fine, just thin the boo good ,  bub
Logged
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline Prarie Bowyer

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,599
Re: hickory heart wood for backed bow bellies?
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2011, 12:32:17 pm »
by local source I mean 1 hour drive.  I'm not going that far to make an experiment.  I'll switch to Birch which ranks similarily on the properties charts.  I also have two big flitched of pretty clear maple, even though I vowed not to use it again.
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »