hickory backed osage board bow question

[Oak Walker]

I have a few really nice osage boards that I would like to try my hand at bow making with. I'm going heat bend in a form to straighten and reflex/deflex. My question is do I glue on hickory backing before or after heat bending and clamping osage board. Sorry for a probably obvious question but I'm a new hand at this and just want to stack the odds in my favor for making a functional bow. Thanks. O.W.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Heat shape, then glue up. You don't want your glue getting that hot. Most will hold, some wont, and its simply not worth the risk if you have other avenues.

[blackhawk]

Why do you need to straighten a board  You should be able to induce the shape you want at glue up..unless you want recurves on it preheating isnt necessary

[Pat B]

I've not done a R/D from a board but I have done reflexed hickory backed osage board bows. It's a great combo.  After you shape your belly on the form with heat use the same form for your glue-up. I think I'd heat form the hickory too but separately.

[bubby]

I'm with blackhawk an r/d you should be able to get the profile you want at glue up, also an r/d ain't the easiest bow to tiller if its your first, hell i still have trouble with that style bow, just thin your belly wood down go like 3/8" thick at the tips to 5/8" at the fades and it should flex enough to glue up

[Oak Walker]

OK thanks guys, that helps a lot. The only reason I thought I might have to heat and shape was to straighten the boards, some of them are not perfectly straight end to end.

[ccase39]

I found this link to be a great recource

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=6916.0

You can just disregard the tri lam part. He's got measurements to a non tri lam bow in there.
I have made two following that build along that are turning out nice. I still need to tweak the tiller but I'll get them there.

Also like this one.

http://poorfolkbows.com/ipe1.htm