Teak As A bow Wood?

[arachnid]

Hi guys!

It`s been a while (a month maybe) since I built something and my finger tips are itching!
Problem is, I don`t have time to go to a good lumber store and select a good board.
The only thing I can think of is a place I pass bay on my way from work, but they sell
mostly Pine. They do have Teak, and Teak does appear in Tim baker`s bow wood list and in TBB Vol. 2
But I searched the web and didn't find anyone that had any experience with Teak.
I really want to try it out as a flatbow (non pyramid). I`m aiming for about 40#@26".

I`d like to here what the experts think and be happy to get any suggestions.

Thanks,

Dor

[bubby]

well it's on his list of "true" bow woods .52 sg and tested as kind of brash, if you have the money try it, for the price i'd get something else but heck you may like it

[arachnid]

well it's on his list of "true" bow woods .52 sg and tested as kind of brash, if you have the money try it, for the price i'd get something else but heck you may like it

Those are the specs from Tim Baker`s list:

TEAK .57. Oily, extremely rot resistant. Tested samples and bows were slightly brash.
TROPICAL WOODS Space only allows a few here. There are scores available. Any over .50SG will serve.

Teak is listed as a tropical wood and its over 50sg, so why wouldn't`t it work?
And what does "brash" means? 

[DarkSoul]

But I searched the web and didn't find anyone that had any experience with Teak.

I can find some references, but none of them indicate that teak is a good bow wood: https://www.google.com/#q=site:primitivearcher.com+teak

It's marginal bow wood at best. If you insist on using it, which I would not recommend, you need to back it, leave it wide and tiller it perfectly. Also, don't use plantation teak, but rather the true 'wild' rainforest teak from Myanmar, which is ten times better than the plantation stuff with wide rings, sapwood are big knots.

[Hamish]

Brash in this context means weak and brittle(most likely in tension).  If you really want to give it a go, use a backing of straight grained hickory or maple or ash. Wide limbs 2" or so.
                            Hamish.

[Gaur]

it frets pretty easily too.   If you had a long enough design and tiller spot on it might work for you.

[arachnid]

It's sounds like a lost cause.
Will I have a better luck with an Ipe self bow? I just don't have the time to go to a descant lumber store and buy backing wood.

[Centrvm Medivm]

arachnid: I've been having the same problem with finding decent bow wood for a self bow (I've got plenty of access to good hardwood lumber, but a lot of it has been in small stock so I haven't found anything but marginal pieces that I'm too afraid to use as a back).  I've never worked with Ipe, but from what I've heard it's weak in tension comparatively speaking to its compression, so slapping a back on it probably would be the safe bet. I've been using strips of "decorative" bamboo  (kind of a pain to process, and hard to find in the right diameter), paper bags, rawhide from dog bones (again, pain to process and inconsistent) and reinforced packing tape to back bias-ringed lumber bows for a couple of months now and haven't had any major problems. If anything, a cable backing should be serviceable and look pretty awesome.

I'd bet if you over built it a little you should be able to get away with 40#@26"...

[mikekeswick]

Very, very good luck in finding an ipe board with straight enough grain for that! If you are short on time forget a self ipe...i've never yet seen an ipe board that could be used for selfbows. It most certainly will make a selfbow, just ask all those Amazonian fellas but you would be wanting a split stave for that.
Saying you don't have time to find good wood is not good....you must start out with good materials to have even half a chance of making a good bow. Making the bow is going to take longer than finding a good board.

[arachnid]

Very, very good luck in finding an ipe board with straight enough grain for that! If you are short on time forget a self ipe...i've never yet seen an ipe board that could be used for selfbows. It most certainly will make a selfbow, just ask all those Amazonian fellas but you would be wanting a split stave for that.
Saying you don't have time to find good wood is not good....you must start out with good materials to have even half a chance of making a good bow. Making the bow is going to take longer than finding a good board.

True, I know it all starts with a good wood. BUT, I`m so bored! I haven`t built a bow for some time and I really fill a NEED to do so... Its an addiction... So I`m trying to find
alternatives....

[DarkSoul]

So you're bored AND don`t have time to go to a good lumber store? Hm, that doesn't add up
I wouldn't start an ipé selfbow if I were you, and especially not with the quality of the ipé boards that you've shown so far. They are marginally at best, even when backed, let alone a selfbow.

[dbb]

Ipe selfbow can be done IF you find a board straight enough,the link is in swedish but i guess translating it isnt a problem..
http://hem.bredband.net/yng1394/ipebow.html

[arachnid]

So you're bored AND don`t have time to go a good lumber store? Hm, that doesn't add up
I wouldn't start an ipé selfbow if I were you, and especially not with the quality of the ipé boards that you've shown so far. They are marginally at best, even when backed, let alone a selfbow.

The lumber store that has the right woods is closed in the afternoon, which is the time I get back from work. Therfore I'm bored but don't have time to go to the lumber store.