Author Topic: Bow Woods - Any Comments Appreciated  (Read 3173 times)

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Offline BrokenArrow

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Bow Woods - Any Comments Appreciated
« on: August 12, 2014, 07:21:50 pm »
I am making hickory backed board bows. Has anyone used these woods for cores? Results?
-Yellow Birch
-Persimmon
-American Hornbeam

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Bow Woods - Any Comments Appreciated
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2014, 07:28:59 pm »
I've never used any of those woods, but your choice for core woods is pretty flexible. The core does not experience tension or compression, so the mechanical properties are not too important. It needs to be at least moderately resistant to shear. In reality, many wood species will function perfectly fine as cores. It's the back and belly that are crucial...
Persimmon and hornbeam are probably a bit too heavy to be optimal. Birch has a desirable medium density, good gluing characteristics and decent shear resistance. From that list, I think the birch would be my choice. Maple is a long time favourite, with good reason, but it is not in your list.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline Slackbunny

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Re: Bow Woods - Any Comments Appreciated
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2014, 07:32:27 pm »
Yellow birch is fairly similar to maple in my experience so it should make a decent core wood.