Hickory backing thickness?

[Aaron curtis]

I am considering making my nephew a longbow and was thinking of dong an IPE w/ hickory backing.   I am hoping for a bow with a 12-14# draw.  I have made a few bows but I am definitely not an expert on the subject.  Maybe this combo is a poor choice for a kids bow?  I have heard good things about IPE an hickory but I haven’t heard of anyone using that combo for a kids bow.  But I don’t hear much about kids bows for that matter either.  If the combo would work fine what thickness should the hickory be.  I am guessing it’s probabky going to be pretty thin.   I don’t own a planer.  Can I just rip the boards into the appropriate thickeness and then glue them together?  I know using a planer is the correct method but just wondered if failing to plane them perfectly will cause safety issues. Minor cosmetic issues isn’t a major concern but I do want it to be safe .

[Hamish]

Rip the backings around 3/16" thick. What sort of saw are you going to use? With a table saw you have to be mindful about the backing falling between the blade and the saw plate if it doesn't have a zero clearance insert. Saw on the outside of the blade(not between the blade and the fence where the thin backing can get trapped. Use a push stick.   Or you could use a bandsaw, which is safer but a bit more difficult to tune to get an even cut.
 I would sand both saw surfaces to get rid of any burn marks(if you didn't up a rip blade),80 up to 120grit.
Glue you could use Titebond 3 or a good epoxy.

[Springbuck]

Yup.  I have even smoothed lams with coarse paper glued to a board after the saw, but the narrower they are the harder that is.  You aren't going to need much of either wood for a bow that light. 

[Dances with squirrels]

You don't need much hickory, somewhere between 1/16 to 1/8", but it should be flat and its surface properly prepped for the glue to be used... same goes for the ipe. I've made bows in the 60# range with 1/16" thick hickory backing.

I have a planer but never use it for backings. I cut them out on the bandsaw with a resaw fence then run them through the thickness sander to thin and flatten them. Careful hand sanding as mentioned above may give you similar results.

[Marc St Louis]

I am considering making my nephew a longbow and was thinking of dong an IPE w/ hickory backing.   I am hoping for a bow with a 12-14# draw.  I have made a few bows but I am definitely not an expert on the subject.  Maybe this combo is a poor choice for a kids bow?  I have heard good things about IPE an hickory but I haven’t heard of anyone using that combo for a kids bow.  But I don’t hear much about kids bows for that matter either.  If the combo would work fine what thickness should the hickory be.  I am guessing it’s probabky going to be pretty thin.   I don’t own a planer.  Can I just rip the boards into the appropriate thickeness and then glue them together?  I know using a planer is the correct method but just wondered if failing to plane them perfectly will cause safety issues. Minor cosmetic issues isn’t a major concern but I do want it to be safe .

Wow, 14# out of a Hickory backed Ipe?  Good luck with that.  You'll have to make you're backing no more than 1/16" thick, even then you won't have much Ipe left

[PEARL DRUMS]

I agree with Marc. If all you want is a 14# child's bow I would just use a hickory board. Trying to make a backed bow at 14# would be very difficult.

[Aaron curtis]

Thanks for the replies guys.  I kinda wondered about the wood choices for a bow of that poundage.   I am gonna give it a go and see what I end up with and will just keep it for one of my boys down the road when they get bigger.    The more reading I did the more I realized it probably wasn’t gonna be possible. Oh well.  I can make him a hickory bow instead.