Hickory backed cherry?

[adb]

I've made several hickory backed cherry bows. All flat bows, with limb at fades 1.5" - 1.75", with 1/2" nocks. I kept all of them <50#, with careful perfect tillering. No frets. All were good shooters.

[Thwackaddict]

Ken- thanks for the advice you been a tremendous help,how thick do you like your backing?

adb-Thanks man we'll see worst i can do is break it,then i can start another!!

[Del the cat]

I hate to disagree with you guys, BUT hickory makes a great backing for cherrry.  Cherry is strong in compression, what causes the chrysaling is poor tillering.  Take the tillering slowly and don't over stress the wood too early.  I do agree with keeping the hickory thin, just under .125"  (1/8 inch).  There is no need to go wide with it though, keep the width at 1.5 for most backed bows.  Other wise the core/ backing ratio gets out of whack.  Also ash and maple do make great backings for cherry.  here is my latest ash backed cherry.

Yeah right...I bet it's just 18" long.
Del

[sulphur]

Come on Del,  give me some credit!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBBTf3ry79A

[Thwackaddict]

Nice shooting,good shooting bow looks like it shoots fast and hard.

[Thwackaddict]

Ok guys one more question before i start this build.Yesterday i came into some prime cherry and a huge maple board,True 2X10X8.The cherry has beautiful contrast between heart and sap wood running full length of board.Have you ever used heart for back and sapwood for belly or would it really matter?I will try and get some pics posted monday.The maple has some pretty thick growth rings and the cherry is pretty tight.I think its going to make some beautiful bows.

[George Tsoukalas]

I've never done a wooden backed bow. If I had some cherry I'd throw on a backing of burlap or linen. May be silk. I can't offer more than that. Rawhide would be nice looking on cherry.  Sorry. Jawge

[Thwackaddict]

Thanks Jawge,I may do one and back it with rawhide,i figure i can get 4 or 5 bows outta this board.May have to hit your site and check on linen and burlap backin as i have no experience with that.

[elk country rp]

i have two quarter sawn cherry rips that i plan to test against the hick/cherry bow that i'm finishing up right now

i've wondered about a sap wood/ heart wood cherry bow myself (maybe with a little rawhide insurance policy), but haven't had the right wood to try it out with.

i'm a little gun-shy about maple backing cherry lately. i had the tiniest little wrinkle in the grain of my maple backing blow after a good 6-8 months of shooting (and i cried). be sure that the maple's grain is absolutely trustworthy before you glue it up

can't wait to see the pics,
Rob

[sulphur]

i have done the sapwood heartwood combo with good results.  I am not sure there is as much difference as say hickory.    I always get the straightest grain boards of cherry i can find, that may something to do with keeping it together.  If you have maple i say go for it.  .125" thickness should be ok.

[Thwackaddict]

Elk country-Thanks for the heads up,The Maple Has some really thick growth rings and seems to be pretty strait grained.I feel like a kid a christmas.I will get started tommorow and post pics as i go along.I am so excited i can hardly contain myself.Ive been outta work for a few months now and wood is hard to come by so when i came across this wood i bout cried.I think i can get 5 or 6 bows outta the cherry and i got enough maple to back 20.

Sulphur-have you tryd hertwood for the back and sapwood for the belly?I'm anxious to see if it will work.They are goin to be beautiful if i can get em to hold.

Thanks guys.

[sulphur]

no, my board are usually plainsawn and i use the outer sides.    so it have a little sapwood on the bottom limb that ran done one edge.  sapwood on the back and heart wood on the belly should be ok.  the sapwood will be covered up by the maple backing so all should be go.

[Thwackaddict]

Ok, thanks!  I will post some pics tommorow!Gonna rip em down tonight.