Wow I may have missed a big detail

[yebon]

Have you ever been so intent on one part of a project that you forgot about a simple but important other part.  I am stating my first bow and i have gotten great advise for here on how to do it.  I bought a board but i did not take into account the thickness of the board.  The board is only .75" thick Is that enough or do i need to go get another board.  It will have a 1/8" hickory backing to thicken it a bit more but that is not much.  I feel so stupid for missing such an obvious part.  Thanks for your input. 

[Badger]

Depends how long and how heavy you are going. I use 3/4 boards with a glue on handle up to about 66" long and 50#. With an added backing you can make any size bow you want I would think unless you are talking about a very heavy English war bow. Your limbs are going to be much thinner than 3/4". The only real issue with the thickness is that you dont want it flexing in the handle area if it is supposed to be  stiff handled bow.

[yebon]

it is a read oak bend in the handle bow.  It is going to be 68" long. It is similar to an eastern woodland style ...similar is being used loosely... but you get the idea of what i am aiming for.  thank you

[Pat B]

A standard 3/4" board is plenty of thickness to make the bow you want. Measure and cut to the overall length, mark the center of the stave and add 2" on either side for the handle area an another 2" outside the handle on both limbs for the fades then draw and cut out the back profile shape. The 3/4" thickness at the handle will give you a stiff handle but you will have to add a seperate handle riser to the belly so the handle fits your hand comfortably.

[adb]

Depends on the wood. I only use 1/2" of ipe (+ backing) to make a 60# flatbow. 3/4" should be fine if you're backing it.

[bushboy]

From what I know ,the handle should be left quite wide for a bendy and some might say the widest part of the bow,so with this in mind 7/8" should be just fine.I wouldn't go any less than1-1/4" at the very least.

[Badger]

  Tim Baker used to make tons of the red oak slight bend in the handle bows from 1 1/2 X 3/4 X 72" red oak boards. 1 1/2 wide handle is no problem shooting from if the arrow spine is not too stiff. They make real good shooters as well.

[sweeney3]

It'll be fine, provided everything else about the board is okay.  Or at least marginally so.  You'll be surprised what you can get away with in those things. 

[yebon]

Thank you all for the input i feel much better and confident in starting this project.  I will be backing the bow this weekend!!

[Pat B]

If I may suggest...pretiller the red oak some first so it has a nice even bend before you dd the hickory backing. That will give you a nice even bend once the backing is added. Do you plan to add reflex when you do the glue up?

[Predictable]

BoarriorBows (on youtube) makes bows out of boards, and he always used 0.75" thick boards with a riser glued on. haha i just finished making a  bow is made out of 0.75" red oak, and it turned out great, but it has a crack in it -_-, check my post on this forum and please reply to that if you see this.

[George Tsoukalas]

Grain, grain and grain are  most important! 3/4" is fine. More on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html

[yebon]

Thank you again for more incite.  I do not plan on putting any re curve on it.  George i am familiar with your site, your board bow buildalong is my template for this bow.  I have read about board selection on your site and understand it (as well as someone just starting) but i never saw anything on thickness.  I may have over looked it that is why i posed my original question. 

[adb]

Thickness depends entirely on desired outcome and material. Depends also on how deep you want your grip.