wood backing?

[bootboy]

Hi there fellas!
  A few days ago I got into a very neat bowyers trade with finnish native.
We're both going to be making one another a bow for christmas. He requested a hickory backed oak pyramid about 160cm long. (i'll figure that out in inches later)
Anyways mates I got myself a problem I've never used any backing apart from sinew and rawhide (i hate rawhide) So how thick should the hickory be for a bow that long? 1/8" 1/4"...1/16th???

How much clamping will be neccesary blah blah blah Im a bit intimidated by this small task.HELP!

[adb]

Hi,
I use 1/8" quarter sawn hickory, glued with TB3.

[bootboy]

brilliant! cheers mate

[Pat B]

1/8" is good. You can reduce that if necessary...even after it is on the bow.  Ideally, Quarter sawn(lllll) or Bias sawn(/////) is what you want but I have used hickory for backings with all sorts of grain and never had a failure.     Pat

[bootboy]

So Hickory is some kind of wonder wood for bows?

I've used it to make maces, and found that it cracks and splits rediculously.
Anytips to stop the cracks from forming.

[snedeker]

I put clamps about every 3", using 3"x1.5"x1/4" scraps of wood as pads, one under each clamp.

IHickory is amazing strong in tension.  I don't know why its splitting on you in your other uses though.

Dave

[Coo-wah-chobee]

       Dave .....................................Why aint ya workin' and busy ? Ya goofin' off ? .....bob

[snedeker]

I hope the CEO doesn't find out.  My wife.

[Coo-wah-chobee]

........................ Knows what ya mean ! ............bob