Questions re: Marc St. Louis R/D bow

[ShinneryOak]

I'm in the middle of following Marc's build-along article for "High Performance R/D Bow", Vol 18 Issue 2. Thought I wouldn't bug him as he likely gets a zillion emails a day. Would hickory be a good choice for the handle wedge and power lam? He likes HHB for those but I don't have any. This is an ipe/boo bow, not osage/hickory (though he says ipe can be used for the bow)

[sonny]

if that's what you have or have ready access to, use it!

[PatM]

You could just use Ipe. It will be more stable with like materials.

[Marc St Louis]

There's a lot of stress in that area.  The reason I like to use HHB is that it a tough wood and glues very well.  Rock Maple is another tough wood that glues very well along with Elm and I have used those 2 with success.  I wouldn't use any oily wood or a ring porous wood like Oak of White Ash, the reason is that I have used those before and they failed.  I find that Hickory doesn't glue quite as well as the wood species I mentioned above but I have used it before.

[ShinneryOak]

Thanks all. Marc, I will likely pick up some elm or maple. I gather you cut HHB locally but could you point me to a source? I haven't found it at local lumber supplies.

[PatM]

HHB has never been a lumber tree. It's always been used in small quantities for specialty items.