Quartersawn or riff-sawn for belly lam on an ELB???

[Easternarcher]

HEy, I'm planning on a couple of laminated ELB's sorta Victorian style I guess.
I picked up some bloodwood and some yellowheart locally.
The best piece of yellowheart they has is almost quartersawn. Will this work for the belly wood and use the bloodwood or purpleheart as the center corewood with a hickory backing? The Hickory backing will be quartersawn - of course.

Second question along this line is....
If I use purpleheart or bloodwood for a center lam, how would flat-sawn ash work as the belly?
Just trying to find the best combo for performance and reliability.
I'm planning about 70-72in. and 1.125in. width and around 50-60lbs draw at 28"

Thanks

[adb]

Quarter sawn hickory will make an excellent backing... one of the best in my opinion. I've used purpleheart & bloodwood as center core woods in tri-lams with great success. As far as yellowheart goes... I don't know... I've never used it as a belly wood. I use mostly osage.

Personally, I don't think ash makes a great belly wood. Ash excels in tension, and makes a far better backing. I've made many (quarter sawn) ash backed, bloodwood and purpleheart cored tri-lams with an osage belly, up to 100#@32" draw weight.

Your dimensions are good... 1 1/4 - 1 1/2" at the grip, 70-72" ntn will easily make 50 - 60#@28".

[Easternarcher]

Quarter sawn hickory will make an excellent backing... one of the best in my opinion. I've used purpleheart & bloodwood as center core woods in tri-lams with great success. As far as yellowheart goes... I don't know... I've never used it as a belly wood. I use mostly osage.

Personally, I don't think ash makes a great belly wood. Ash excels in tension, and makes a far better backing. I've made many (quarter sawn) ash backed, bloodwood and purpleheart cored tri-lams with an osage belly, up to 100#@32" draw weight.

Your dimensions are good... 1 1/4 - 1 1/2" at the grip, 70-72" ntn will easily make 50 - 60#@28".

Thanks ADB....problem is I cannot get Osage long enough shipped in as the pot would so darn expensive.
I'm wondering about having billets shipped in and splicing at the grip...not exactly what I want but it may work right?

[adb]

Yes, it will work fine. This a 100#@32" tri-lam... hickory back, bamboo core, spliced osage belly.

[Easternarcher]

Dang, I guess that answers THAT question

Billets, I can get! Thanks ADB. ANy particular on how best to do the splice? was it pinned or anything?

[adb]

No pins! I believe pins will only weaken a good splice. For the above bow, I used a W splice. Get your cuts precise, and match up your splices tight, and it'll be plenty strong.

[Easternarcher]

No pins! I believe pins will only weaken a good splice. For the above bow, I used a W splice. Get your cuts precise, and match up your splices tight, and it'll be plenty strong.

Thank You...I'll try that!