Backing Ipe

[Morgan]

I have 4 ipe deck boards that I got a couple years ago and haven't done anything with them. I think I can probably get 5 or so bellies with what I have. I know that the most common backing is boo or hickory and that is what I had intended to do but.... I have several staves of hackberry, one I violated a ring on when removing the bark. This stave is what got me to thinking about this. Could I use the natural back of the stave cut and hand  planed down to around 1/4" to back the ipe with? Seems I saw backing like this on here somewhere but cannot find it for the life of me. The ring violation is in the center of my stave limb, but if I did it right I could get two backs out of it without including the violation. Thoughts?

[Badger]

   I would give it a try if I were you. I have backed ipe with red oak before. Hackberry is a little on the soft side but it is also very flexable and it might work out real good.

[Pat B]

Make your ipe bows narrow, 1 1/4" to 1 3/8" is a good range.

[Morgan]

I'll give it a go then. I Have 3 other bows in varying stages of completion that got put on the back burner this summer. Days are getting shorter and cooler which means more activity in the shop so hopefully I can finish them out. The backed ipe will be my next project I think.