Maple Backing questions

[Arrowind]

I just made several maple backing strips.   I still need to sand them down.  I cut them roughly 3/16 and was planning to sand down to 1/8.  Then I realized....wait should I leave them a little thicker or is 1/8th good?  I have only ever used Hickory as a backing... Do you recommend a little bit thicker for maple?

Also what woods have you backed with maple?

I'm thinking of the following

Black Walnut
Ipe
Red Oak ( I also want to try red oak backed maple)
maple
Mabe yellow birch but not sure. 
I don't have Osage but would love to try that as well...

Thoughts?

[toomanyknots]

I've used maple a good bit. I think an 1/8" is fine. In my opinion, 3/16" is big for any backing. But it is probably that I am just used to using 1/8" backings. I've backed ipe and hickory with maple, and have always had good results. Hope this helps some.

[Arrowind]

Thanks dude.  Yeah that helps.  I have only backed a few with wood and have only used hickory to do it.  Somehow I got it into my brain that 1/8th is a good rule of thumb and feel good about that. I just want to make sure that goes for other woods too and not just hickory... Since this wood is precious to me I don't want to screw it up......haha!  My precious...

[adb]

I'd have to say... maple is my favourite backing. I've backed cherry, yew, ipe, osage, jatoba, and yellowheart with maple, and all have turned out well. And, every imaginable design... ELBs, warbows, flatbows, bendy handles, long, short... you name it. To top it all off, it makes a great (lighter weight... up to 50#) flat pyramid selfbow, too. Another fav of mine is rawhide backed maple.

As far as thickness goes... usually 1/8", but I've used up to 3/16" on maple backed yew warbows up to 120#. Of course, like any other backing, it's all about the grain.

[blackhawk]

Maple is a very  versatile wood...I have used it for lots of other things,and I finally used it as a backing strip over last weekend on a bow I just got done sealing last night...It may not be as strong as boo or hickory,but it sure is def strong enough for the heavy dense woods,and yet still light enough not to overpower a weaker wood...plus I think it looks better aesthetically than hickory backings...just because its a purer white and diffuse porous grain....I'll def be using it again

[Arrowind]

adb - Thanks.  I was hoping to hear from you.  I know you have used it quite a bit.  And your bows are always amazing.  So it sounds like 1/8th should be good for any I plan to build (60#'s or less).  I'm looking forward to trying it.  I think the grain is pretty good.  I may post a pic or two.  I'm not sure when.  I've got a really busy week.

blackhawk - thanks!  I think maple is actually my favorite wood right now.   I know that sounds strange because most of my bows are actually hickory.  I TRUST hickory the most because I've used it the most and know it better than I know other woods but I think I LIKE maple better.  I like the way it looks like you pointed out.  There is just something about it that I find appealing.  I hope you plan on posting your maple backed bow.  I'd like to see it.

[Easternarcher]

I gotta ask.....Is it best to use quarter-sawn maple for backing? or can rift or even flatsawn work as well?

[adb]

1/4 sawn edge grain for me. Straight, straight, straight.

[adb]

My #1 favourite maple combo is maple backed yew. It just seems magical. It not only looks stunning, but it seems to be a very well balanced combo. I even like it better than self yew (gasp!).