Curly lumber in a backing strip?

[Lumberman]

ANyone used a a backing strip with curly lumber? I was cutting some strips last night for a few guys and one of the 3/16" hickory strips has a good deal of curl, I will try to post a picture later tonight.. I would have no problem trying it but will not send to someone else if it is flawed from the get go

[Morgan]

Isn’t curl a result of cutting through fine grain wiggles? If it is, I am like you, I would try it, wouldn’t send it to someone else.

[mmattockx]

I can't imagine curly grained wood working out well as a backing lam.


Mark

[Dances with squirrels]

I haven't used it as a backing, but I tried to use it as the core in a bamboo backed curly maple bow once. I bet it had more frets in it than any bow you've ever seen. Dozens. I should have kept it just because of that... but I eventually burned it.

Yes, the curl is due to grain variations. These variations would be violated when flattened for a backing piece. When working, especially carving, curly maple gunstocks, sometimes the curl will crack or a small piece of the curl will even pop completely out.

I wouldn't waste my time and material using it as a backing piece.

If it looks nice enough, I'd use it in a glass bow under clear glass. That's what I save mine for.

[Lumberman]

it is curly hickory that i am cutting rift/QS for the strips so the ring violation is not a factor but I will most likely have to concede and not send it since i am unsure.. ah well

[PatM]

It doesn't matter if it's ring violation or grain violation.  The net result is the same.

[Dances with squirrels]

Cutting curly wood quartersawn actually makes the curl more prominent because it violates the curly grain more drastically.

I'm not saying don't try it, or that it would 100% fail...  Just that the risks for failure are greater when using figured wood. It might still be worth a try, especially for a bow to keep. It sure would be beautiful if it worked.

[Morgan]

it is curly hickory that i am cutting rift/QS for the strips so the ring violation is not a factor but I will most likely have to concede and not send it since i am unsure.. ah well

Depending on how the fibers grew causing the curl, it would be a factor regardless of being rift or quarter sawn. I’m almost certain it is the ends of the fibers being cut that causes the curl. Those fibers should be parallel to the cut. If there is a 90° jog of the grain out and back in, then you have severed all the fibers. That said, I personally would try it on a simple to build board bow design like a pyramid ( so if it fails there isn’t a ton of time invested). I would not try it with any other wood than hickory, and I’d try it with the hickory just to see if the hickory would hold up. If it did hold up, it’s yet another testament to the toughness of hickory, and will be fine looking on the bow.

[Pat B]

It would work as a core and possibly as a belly but not a backing strip.

[Lumberman]

i will post a picture this evening, thanks for the feedback bowyers! It didn't tear out if thats what you mean by grain violation Pat B, I trust your insight though! Should have taken a picture last night so it could do the talking

[Lumberman]

Decided to just add it on to the guy’s order as a freebie and shot him a message on it, probably won’t hear back on how it turned out

[Nasr]

I have used it with success. But to be honest I would stay away from it. This was on some white oak that I had bought and was eager to start building a bow. If I had a choice I wouldn’t use it for a backing unless I had no other option.

[bownarra]

I've used it with sucess. Hickory backing strips. It wasn't super curly but I noticed it when sanding the back, I'd already glued up a few bows with it so decided to finish them out. Belive it or not they are all still shooting (to my knowledge) with no problems. I pulled them to over 30" and marked them as 28" max draw before sending them out.
The curl is most prominent on the quarter.