When to back

[Blayne]

Sorry if this has been asked loads of times on here, but I am new to both the boards and to making bows:)

When should one back a bow? I feel like it would be best done after tillering is finished and the bow is ready to shoot, but before final sanding and finishing. Or is it best to do so just before one starts with a long string on the tiller.

I have a big leaf maple flat bow the I want to back with steer rawhide, and it is getting close. Best to find out when to glue the backing on.

Thanks Blayne.

[bow101]

Hopefully the big leaf works out for you.  I use only Eastern sugar maple (rock maple) I back mine after tiller.  As long as the backing material is uniform it wont change the tiller from limb to limb.

[mikekeswick]

Why do you want to back it?
The main reason to back a bow is because (if it's a stave) it has a damaged back ring or it's a weak in tension wood (very rare!).
If it's a board then there are plenty of reasons to back - mainly because the grain is highly unlikely to be perfect.
So if it's a flaw in the wood then you should back it before tillering because the back can't take being bent.
If your bow has got to full draw....what is the point? It's already a bow 
Sinew is a different story altogether!

[Eric Krewson]

Only made one sinew backed bow lately, I had it pretty much tillered before i sinewed it.

I have made 50 or 60 backed bows mostly bamboo with a few hickory backed boards along the way. I backed them all while they were in the bow blank stage, not even bending.

My take on backing from the start is the bow and backing come to life together, no tiller or poundage change down the road.

[Pat B]

The only time I back a bow(with non performance backing) is if it needs to be backed and then I back it early on to protect it.
 How thick is your steer rawhide. You might want to thin it so it doesn't detract from the performance.

[George Tsoukalas]

As was mentioned, I back to keep the stave together and do it after long string tillering.
Jawge

[Blayne]

Thanks guys. Couple reasons I want to back. First is to learn how, and second is because these skins are from steers I raised with a friend a couple years ago and thought it would be awesome to give him a bow backed by his steers hide! I have an oak board bow around here too that I was messing with, so I my back that one first to learn, that way if I mess up it won't ruin the maple one:) I feel like the maple will make a great bow. I also have some wild cherry around here(not sure latin name) that I am going to experiment with. The maple is stump re-growth(coppice) so it is pretty cool to harvest wood without killing the tree! I hope to use it often.

[crooketarrow]

  I don't back anymore,you don't need to, stop like 12,15 years ago. WHY will if you have to back board or staves. Somewhere in the woods there's a flaw either in the wood, or your desisn or your work. Got to know when to start over if need be.

  If I can see a flaw in the stave or one arises as I'm building. I can see going on by saveing it with backing.
.
  I trive to build bows the best the stave has to offer.

  What I'm saying is start out the best peice of wood you can get.

[DC]

I've heard that Big Leaf Maple is not a good bow wood. I've never tried it but if it was good wood I'd be in hog heaven. Every other tree around here is a BL Maple. Maybe someone has tried it and can comment???

[helmet]

I made one big leaf maple bow, it was my second bow. I think the woods fine. I did not back it.

[Tree_Ninja]

I've tried bigleaf. It may make a bow, but douglas is much much better.  Bigleaf isn't very strong on compression. Backing it will certainly over-power the belly. I would hold off on the backing of the bow until you find some douglas maple. 
I use bigleaf as practice wood. Save the oak for a good bow.

Where are you located? Alberni? There is tons of saskatoon berry in alberni.

Don't even bother with the cherry it will not work.  Just grab some oceanspray and start drying it.

[bubby]

I have made a big leaf maple bow, because they said you can't, but it won't make a good bow, just a bow

[bradsmith2010]

I think after the long string is a good idea

[Blayne]

I guess I won't be backing this one now. Bad design, one hinged limb and one stiff limb that I couldn't even out. At 40#, it went blamo!

[bow101]

Only made one sinew backed bow lately, I had it pretty much tillered before i sinewed it.

I have made 50 or 60 backed bows mostly bamboo with a few hickory backed boards along the way. I backed them all while they were in the bow blank stage, not even bending.

My take on backing from the start is the bow and backing come to life together, no tiller or poundage change down the road.

 Boo or Hick will change tiller, agreed.  I just glue on fabric after the tiller is basically complete just added protection if you can even call it backing does not change the tiller or even add poundage.  Stuff like silk or linen.