Which of these woods should I choose for my next batch of bows?

[Julian]

So I've pretty much used up my sugar maple, and I'm looking at my timber supplier to see what I should try next. I'd enjoy something different to present me with a new set of challenges.

Here is the list of available timbers
https://www.mathewstimber.com.au/timber-species

Some notable ones that I've picked out are:

• Primus Serotina (American Cherry)
• Alnus Rubra (American Red Alder)
• Fraxinus Americana (White Ash)
• Quercus Alba (White Oak)
• Fagus Sylvatica (European Beech)
• Quercus SPP (European Oak)
• Nothofagus Menziesii (New Zealand Beech)

[JWMALONE]

I've never made a bow from any of those, I have  read several times that white oak is indestructible. I'm keeping an out for some myself.

[Swampman]

I would go with the white ash or beech.  I have used white ash and it is decent bow wood.  Beech i have heard is very tough.

[Marc St Louis]

That should read Prunus Serotina.  If they offered American Beech then I would say go for it.  That leaves White Oak as the best choice with White Ash as a second choice

[Pat B]

Oaks, ash or beeches.

[tattoo dave]

I'd go with Ash, Beech, and the Black walnut. Plenty of nice bows made from black walnut, but Ash would be my first pick from that list.

Tattoo Dave

[hoosierf]

White oak makes a nice bow. Leave it a little wide 2-2.25”. I’ve backed them but I’m not sure that is necessary.

[loefflerchuck]

Ash or white oak. If you use white oak it does well with recurve. Oak takes set like no other wood I have worked with so after it's shot in you will have a bit of a deflex recurve bow that shoots well.

[Julian]

Thanks folks, I think I'll look at the white ash and white oak piles and just choose the best board out of those.

[Hamish]

Where abouts are you, Sydney or Melbourne? I go to Matthews Timber quite  bit. With careful searching you can find straight grained boards suitable for bows.
out of that list I'd go for oak, or ash too. How did you go with the sugar maple?
                                         

[Julian]

Where abouts are you, Sydney or Melbourne? I go to Matthews Timber quite  bit. With careful searching you can find straight grained boards suitable for bows.
out of that list I'd go for oak, or ash too. How did you go with the sugar maple?
                                         

Melbourne.

I made 3 successful bows from the maple, so far. A longbow, a flatbow, and a molle. I have a bit left but its from the centre of a flat sawn slab so theres lots of ring violations.

[George Tsoukalas]

White oak is pretty durable. I m not a fan of white ash largely because  it has chrysalled on me in the past but a good bowyer friend loves it.

What I did years ago was make bows from every viable bow wood and some not so viable so I could make my own decisions.

Jawge