Is this 80# board bow warbow possible?

[Matt Heppe]

I want to build an 80# warbow as a gift for a very good friend of mine. I have built a few American longbows/flatbows, but never an English warbow. I have also never built a bow this heavy.

I have staves curing, but have never made a stave bow and the staves won't be ready for many months yet. I would like to start with a board bow.

I have the following wood/boards available: hickory, white oak, red oak, elm, and ash.

Can I make an 80# bow from that selection? I am willing/able to laminate two pieces. Which would you choose?

I would like to keep English warbow dimensions if possible. I don't want to make an American flatbow.

Thanks for your help!

[fishfinder401]

i would say go with the hickory,

[adb]

I've made 'board' warbows up to 120#s. I use ash, maple, or hickory backings, and if you want a rounded belly, osage or yew is king. I also like making heavy tri-lams. Same backing materials, usually a tropical hardwood core (purpleheart, bloodwood, etc.) and osage belly.

[Matt Heppe]

Can a rounded belly be done with ash, elm, or hickory?

[imar]

a round belly can be made with hickory, I shoot a 110 lbs warbow hickory, supercore, hickory.
Although most would suggest a different, denser wood for the belly.
Also for 80 lbs you can make a selfbow of hickory only.
Or ash, or even elm.

I would make a selfbow from hickory, 90-100 lbs on 32 inch, it will end up on 80 lbs after a year of shooting.

Have fun!
Imar

[fishfinder401]

a round belly can be made with hickory, I shoot a 110 lbs warbow hickory, supercore, hickory.
Although most would suggest a different, denser wood for the belly.
Also for 80 lbs you can make a selfbow of hickory only.
Or ash, or even elm.

I would make a selfbow from hickory, 90-100 lbs on 32 inch, it will end up on 80 lbs after a year of shooting.

Have fun!
Imar

ill agree with it dropping weight, i had a140 hickory thats now around 120

[bow-toxo]

I want to build an 80# warbow as a gift for a very good friend of mine. I have built a few American longbows/flatbows, but never an English warbow. I have also never built a bow this heavy.

I have staves curing, but have never made a stave bow and the staves won't be ready for many months yet. I would like to start with a board bow.

I have the following wood/boards available: hickory, white oak, red oak, elm, and ash.

I would like to keep English warbow dimensions if possible. I don't want to make an American flatbow.

Thanks for your help!

 I would take the type of wood that would have been most likely in the original. That would be self elm, heat treated , toasted on the belly, that some find almost as good as yew.

[occupant]

I made an elm of 75#. It is not round, more like a rounded square. The length is to long and will take it down 3 or 4 inches to get the weight up and loose tip weight. I have read through several books that say yew was the first choice of wood and  wych elm was the secondary choice. The rounded square would be an authentic shape for using elm. Heat treating is probably not authentic on english type bows. I did it to all my flatbows, so I did it to my longbow.

[Matt Heppe]

How long was your bow, Occupant?

[occupant]

It's 78" ntn. Yes it's to long, going to take about 3 or 4 inches off next week to bring the weight up and tip weight down. I can't do it till then, going to be using it and others this weekend as part of a demonstration.

[fishfinder401]

to tell you the truth i would leave it that length, might sacrifice some performance, but to me longer bows feel better to draw

[markinengland]

80# should be possible with Ash and Elm if the grain is good. In the UK they used to make elm backed ash longbows when other woods were in short supply after WW2. A friend made a good Ash warbow of around 90lb, heat treated and fairly square section.
Mark in England

[bow-toxo]

"Heat treating is probably not authentic on english type bows".
                                                                                                               I     believe it is. Also my experience with elm is that it will soon pick up lots of set if not heat treated.
                                                          Erik