padauk

[tommy6]

Does anyone have any first hand experience on using padauk as a backing? I have read in the usual sources that it may be brittle in tension. I placed some quatersawn padauk next to some osage boards and the color combination is striking which made me think about using the two together.

[Pat B]

You might be better with the osage as a backing. I'm not familiar with padauk but someone that is will be along soon.    Pat

[adb]

 I haven't tried padauk as a backing, but I've used it as riser lams. Why don't you try it as a middle lam in a tri-lam? Use hickory as a backing, osage belly, and a padauk mid-lam.

[Keenan]

From what I've seen of padauk it's fairly hard and brittle with wandering grain. The little that I've used it I found that it split out easily and the cracks often traveled very easy.

[adb]

I think padauk is a bit like rosewood or cocobolo. It's hard and probably doesn't bend well without splitting. I don't think I'd use it as a backing, but it sure makes nice risers or riser lams. It has really nice contrast grain.

[brownhillboy]

I have tried to use padauk as a backing, but it started cracking so I had to superglue it and put another backing over it.  I've only tried it the one time, but I tend to agree with what the others have suggested.

[wally]

I made a laminated English longbow with hickory back on lemonwood with Padauk on. Colours (or colors as you spell it) looked great but coming down to final tiller the padauk cracked in the middle. Was one of my first laminated bows so I saved it by planing out the broken centre of padauk leaving a thin layer at each end, glued are thin piece of lemonwood on that and I can't remember name but darker wood on that. planed her down again, scraped it and it came out at 45lb. I put Ash nocks on as I had no horn and she turned out a better looking bow than I have ever made with the colour variations. looks a bit like a pool cue. I'll post pics tomorrow.
I don't know if this shows padauk to be no good in compression or, as it split along a grain line, its the nature of the beast-or of course I messed up. It's lovely looking wood though

[wally]

Man, you won't believe this! I have used this bow for about 4 years on and off(I have other bows) shot maybe 80 -90 arrows. Its been on my wall for 6 months and to take photo's for here I strung her up. First draw off an arrow and it broke!! Here some pics of what a nice bow it was, and any suggestion as to why it broke would be gratefully received. Hickory broke and splintered along glue line of padauk. Have shown Ash nocks which I think are as good looking as horn.

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[wally]

more pics

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[stickbender]

     Aww, Man!  That makes "Me" hurt also!  that was a beautiful bow.  I agree with you on the Ash nocks.  they are beautiful.  Maybe the wood spirits, were angry that you didn't treat it as something special, as it looked.  Perhaps you should have taken it nicking about the country side in your motor car, just to show you still thought it special.  Maybe drank a few pints in honor of it.  Perhaps if you did that now, it might apease the wood spirits, and you can make another one that will be more forgiving, and not so spitful.  Perhaps it was just not a good combination, and it just couldn't hold out any more.   Maybe it dried out.  I have no clue why it would break after all that time.  But you can bet your sweet patootie, someone on here will be able to tell you or at least give you some good reasons why it happened.  Could be "Feung Shuei "......

                                                                               Wayne