Author Topic: Need some help with 1st board bow.  (Read 1075 times)

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Offline AtomicWrangler

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Need some help with 1st board bow.
« on: September 22, 2020, 11:29:36 pm »
Hello, first time posting here.

I want to make a board bow since i don't have access to staves and i came across this cheap flooring board on a local online store, bengkirai/bangkirai (Shorea Laevis) 1,5 x 7 x 100 cm, SG is 0.83 according to this website  http://www.tropicaltimber.info/specie/balau-shorea-laevis/. Is it too short? Can i make a bow from this wood? and if so what sort of design should i use? If it's too short i could V-splice some ears like an asiatic composite bow and also i will back this bow with either silk or sinew.

P.S. : from the seller's description this piece of board is oven dried with low moisture content, is this going to be a problem? can i just left the board in water for maybe a day or so to give it some moisture?

Thank you. :)

bownarra

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Re: Need some help with 1st board bow.
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2020, 12:17:39 am »
Yes it makes a good belly wood. Not great wood but it will make a bow.
It isn't too short if you have a bandsaw and drum sander to prepare lams.
Personally I'd just get some ipe :)

Offline AtomicWrangler

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Re: Need some help with 1st board bow.
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2020, 03:49:26 am »
Thank you bownarra for the reply! I'd try Ipe but i don't think Ipe grows in indonesia, theres's Ulin/Borneo ironwood here but that wood is on the endangered list. Bangkirai is a good belly wood so does it means it needs to be laminated to another type of wood or can i get away with just backing it with sinew? I don't have a band saw unfortunately and does the board being oven/kiln dried become a problem later on?

Thanks again.

Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: Need some help with 1st board bow.
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2020, 07:08:54 am »
i think if you back it with bamboo it will be really awesome. but since its your first bow i would advise against it. heck, i haven't backed a bow yet. never felt the need to since i try to use wood where i don't have too.
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