Hickory opinions...

[soy]

Just started on a hickory, was intending on 1 3/4" @the fades...unfortunately a crack has me at just under 1.5"it is 68"...am i still good for 55#??? A pyramid style 10"handle handle+fade section 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Soy I just finished a hickory bow. Its 60 @ 27". 64" ntn and 1 15/8" at the fades. I trapped the back and tempered it. It holds about 1" reflex.

[MWirwicki]

You may come in a bit light with the pyramid style.  By the time you reach mid-limb, your cross limb dimension will be roughly 1 inch which will likely bring you under your 55 lbs for hickory.  The pyramid style is great for efficiency and I like it a lot, but may not get the weight you desire starting at 1-1/2"  Your chances may be better with parallel limbs out to mid-limb then start your taper to the tips.  Drums and Ryoon have made some very nice hickory bows.  They've had some good success with heat treating the limbs which may help get you closer to the 55 you desire and retain reflex.  You might pick their brains a bit on it. 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Good point Matt. Mine was a flatbow.

[blackhawk]

OR...burn it to keep ya warm while ya work on some "real" bow wood...ehemm...osage 

[Arrowind]

I made one a while back out of a piece of what I thought would be scrap.  Too narrow to make a bow I thought.   It was 1 inch at the fades, had a 10 inch handle and  a half inch at the nocks.  Like Pearl Drums it was more of a flat bow design and was 1 inch wide for more than half the length of the limbs before tapering.  BUT it was only 1 inch wide.  The limbs were quite thick though, almost like a flat bellied ELB.  It took a bit of set but came in at 60lbs @ 28 inches. It was 66inches ntn.  If my tillering skills at that time were better I think the bow could have been made with no set or very little.  It was not heat treated or reflexed.

I think you can do it and could probably go as narrow as 1/4 inch at the tips.   

At it least it would be fun to try.

[RyanY]

You may come in a bit light with the pyramid style.  By the time you reach mid-limb, your cross limb dimension will be roughly 1 inch which will likely bring you under your 55 lbs for hickory.  The pyramid style is great for efficiency and I like it a lot, but may not get the weight you desire starting at 1-1/2"  Your chances may be better with parallel limbs out to mid-limb then start your taper to the tips.  Drums and Ryoon have made some very nice hickory bows.  They've had some good success with heat treating the limbs which may help get you closer to the 55 you desire and retain reflex.  You might pick their brains a bit on it.

+1. As Matt has said whenever you make a pyramid style bow you should always consider the width at mid limb. In my experience, moderate weight white wood bows shouldn't be less than 1 1/4" wide or more than 2" wide at mid limb depending on the style of bow.

[soy]

Thanks...maby ill get the handle bending some

[BOWMAN53]

I have a hickory flatbow thats 68" ntn 1 1/4" at the widest pointand its 50# @ 27".  I heat treated the belly too. Hickory is awesome.

[k-hat]

Ya i def would not do pyramid, go with the flat bow, full width for about half the length of the limb then taper.  A good deep tempering will reduce set and make her snappy. 

[soy]

Would love the chance to make it a flat bow however it was already cut to pyramid shape

[H Rhodes]

How thick is your stave?  I don't see why the 55# pyramid design won't work as long as you leave the limbs thicker. I am just spitballing here, having not tried that design I don't really know....  I usually start with my hickory bows about two inches wide and favor bows in the 45 - 50 range.  I just finished one that was 62 ntn, pyramid,  bendy handle board bow, two inches at the fades down to 1/2" tips that came in at 50 with no problems at all.  Really shoots sweet.    I love me some hickory.     

[bubby]

I think at 68" you can lose a few inches and make weight no problem up to 28"-29"

[soy]

thanks we will see what happens

[gutpile]

I honestly believe when properly dried hickory can stand next to osage and on the mass principle..kick osages butt.....JMO....gut