Hickory backing...DIY

[nclonghunter]

I have split several hickory trees for bows and it is not clear to me how to cut hickory for using it as a backing for other woods. I own a table saw and can cut thin strips, but I do not believe it would follow the grain. If cutting strips a 1/4" or less and using it as backing, is it not necessary to follow the grain? I know you can buy hickory strips, but I would like to do it myself. I also realize that trying to split hickory usually results in little pieces of wood peeling apart and causing furrows, so cutting I suspect is the only way. I want to make an eastern cedar with a hickory back....I would also suspect the method for hickory would apply to other woods such as Osage, Locust,etc...............

Thanks for any help

[sulphur]

you would not have to follow the grain if you qtr saw your split.  that will give you edge grained boards.  start by squaring up one side on your table saw.  go slow and be careful.  large splits are difficult to keep straight.    you will need a drum sander or at the very least a belt sander to clean up the sides.

[half eye]

Hey NC,
      I cut all my backers with a saw. I lay my wood out so that I wind up with fully quartersawed strips (the growth rings are verticle to the broad side of the board.)  You should have no trouble at all with hickory.......if you can manage it though try to get the growth rings runnig straight down the piece, from end to end.
       My way sure aint the only one.....but it works for me.
Rich

[adb]

Well, for starters, I wouldn't cut split staves on a tablesaw ever. It's very dangerous. Use a bandsaw.
If I had split hickory staves, I'd make bows from them, and then I'd go to the local lumber yard and buy a piece of 8/4 hickory 6-7' long and cut my own backing strips from that. That's what I do, and they end up costing about $5/ea.

[Lombard]

I would second the quarter sawn notion. No need to worry about violated growth rings that way. If you use your table saw to cut non dimensioned wood, just be very careful, as bad things can happen, FAST.

[yazoo]

just remember a hickory backed cedar bow is the most difficult bow to make..

[Pat B]

I bought this hickory board from a local lumber co. It is 8/4 (2 1/8"x 4 1/4") and was 10' long. I cut the board into 2 pieces, one 6' long and the other 4' long. I then cut backing strips from the edge of the 6' piece that were 3/8" thick by 2 1/8" wide. After dressing up the backing strip I end up with 1/8" thick backing strips.
  The first pic is the end grain and the second pic is the strip width. Unfortunately you can't see the grain in the second pic but it runs straight from end to end. These pics are of the 4' piece.


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[Bent Rig]

A question that I have is as long as the strips are quarter sawn and grain from end to end - everything should be OK . I was thinking of putting red oak strips that are all that - on a bow that was going to be a hickory backed bamboo - but had a lift on the boo - would the red oak hold up in this application or would the boo be too much for it . Thanks 

[Pat B]

Bamboo preforms best as a backing for hard, dense woods like osage, ipe and other tropical woods. IMO
 I have seen good boo backed red oak bows and boo backed hickory bows but why go to the trouble of making a boo backed bow(they are a lot of trouble IMO) and use not so strong in compression belly woods.
  When building wood bows, no matter if they are selfbows, backed bows or multi-lam bows you have to consider the tension qualities of the back and the compression qualities of the belly because that is where the stresses are. Most woods, if not all, are stronger in tension then they are in compression with some being very strong in tension(like hickory, osage and others) and others being strong in compression(like osage, yew, ipe and other tropical and domestic woods). When using boo backings I want to use strong in compression woods for the belly. For less strong compression woods like red oak a backing of hickory, maple, elm or ash would be more appropriate...or paper, silk, rawhide or linen just for protection. 

[nclonghunter]

Great info, I will look for a hickory board and also try to get the quarter saw from my split stave's. I have made several self bows and am now going to try the laminate bow. Thanks for  all the info, I knew I could count on everyone here. Great site!