ELB Depth

[emd023]

I am planning on building an english longbow and ordered a 5/8" x 1.2" x 72" Ipe slat with bamboo backing. I forgot to pay attention to the depth when I placed the order. Do you think this is thick enough for an ELB build? Do I need to switch to a different build? Thanks!

[Deerhunter21]

put this in the bows section not the BOM section

[TimothyR]

At 5/8th of inch it needs to be  1" wide

[Mo_coon-catcher]

It aughta be. A 7/8” wide by 3/4” thick Osage self will make a 50# elb easily. And a boo backed ipe should be a bit more stiff than Osage self. By the time you back the board you should have about 7/8” thick. Here’s an Osage that Pulled 50# at 28” and was only 3/4” wide at the handle and 3/8” at the tips tips. I think you’ll have plenty of material to work with.

Kyle

[emd023]

Ok ill give it a go. Ill try to take as little as possible off the belly.

[Pat B]

Can you add a core lam to make up the difference?

[Del the cat]

Can you add a core lam to make up the difference?

+1 especially if it is something lighter than Ipe! 
Del

[Del the cat]

Just had a measure of my ELB 50# boo backed Yew flight bow, ()mind it's only 66" long.
The Yew is a whisker over 5/8" just above the grip. Ipe is stiffer, but your bow will be longer.
If you prepare the boo with it thicker near the centre so it tapers to the tip, that will give you some extra thickness, and you may be ok. You'll prob need to glue an extra 3/16 - 1/4" slat to build up the grip area a tad.
Del

[bownarra]

I probably made a few hundred boo backed ipe elbs over the years72" elb - boo/ipe 50 @ 28"
Center 12 inch 1 inch wide, then straight taper to 3/4 wide @ 10 inch from the tips, then straight taper into 3/8ths wide at the nocks.
Thickness at handle 7/8th, straight taper from edge of handle to 7/16ths at the tips.
If your boo is thick enough of course you can leave it thick in the middle to get up to the the 7/8th but it is unlikely to be thick enough. Really you need a core, ideally with a 0.003 taper rate.

[emd023]

Can you add a core lam to make up the difference?

+1 especially if it is something lighter than Ipe! 
Del

What would you suggest? I had to buy these premade because I don't have access to many tools.

[Del the cat]

Can you add a core lam to make up the difference?

+1 especially if it is something lighter than Ipe! 
Del

What would you suggest? I had to buy these premade because I don't have access to many tools.

If you have to buy.. then see what they have and compare on wood density tables. I'd use Yew... you'd go a long way to beat Yew on a power to weight basis.
Del

[emd023]

Can you add a core lam to make up the difference?

+1 especially if it is something lighter than Ipe! 
Del

What would you suggest? I had to buy these premade because I don't have access to many tools.

If you have to buy.. then see what they have and compare on wood density tables. I'd use Yew... you'd go a long way to beat Yew on a power to weight basis.
Del

Any recommendations on where I can get this?

[emd023]

Ive found some bubinga and purple heart 1/4” thick at a local hardware store. They are only 48” long so i would have to join them. Would this be safe for a core laminate?

[Del the cat]

Ive found some bubinga and purple heart 1/4” thick at a local hardware store. They are only 48” long so i would have to join them. Would this be safe for a core laminate?

A join in the core isn't a problem. It can be a relatively short Z splice.
Del

[emd023]

Thank you so much for the help. Last question. Thinking about using Bubinga or African Mohogany for the core. Are these safe to use? Also, these are floorboards from a hardware store. Any issues with using flooring in a bow?