Ash flatbow, figuring out design aspects.

[Glerian]

Don't you have Beech in New Zealand? I've seen a few bows made out of that.

[PlanB]

The main New Zealand & Australia options include NZ - Tawa, Rewarewa (probably), Manuka/Kanuka (NZ Tea-Tree) OZ - Osage Orange, Acaias (Wattles) (eg Blackapple, Gidgee Myal/Boree etc)

Tasmanian Myrtle, Spotted Gum, Alpine Ash, Silver Ash

Pacific regions :- Bamboo, Lancewood (NB this is *NOT* NZ Lancewood),

Black Palm

also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_trees_native_to_New_Zealand

[George Tsoukalas]

That board won't make it to 40 lbs. It  might make 20 # with a linen backing but no guarantees.
I would not use it.
Jawge

[Dakota Kid]

I found a list of hardwood suppliers in New Zealand(first link). It might be worth a call or two. If you need to determine if the wood is good for bow making check out the second link.

http://www.nzwood.co.nz/suppliers/

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/bow-woods/

[Hrothgar]

I'm not sure what silver ash is (birch maybe?), but if you have access to black palm I've known bowyers in the tropics to make good use of this wood--similiar properties to bamboo I believe. Also, what is called gum in austrailia, and many parts outside the USA is a tropical eucalyptus tree. There are many sub-species of eucalyptus but what is sold as hardwood lumber is similar in weight and strength to oak though not as shock resistant.
I wouldn't be afraid to use either of these woods.

[bowyer420]

Thanks for the info everyone,
as for the possibility of using native trees - I would have access to manuka/kanuka but I think I would prefer to keep it more simple for my first few bows by just using a board + I'd have to wait for it to dry? pretty excited to get into it right away.

I think I'm gonna give my current shitty board ago to 20# or something knowing it'll probably break just as a practice for tillering etc, then move onto a new board with a good grain.

Cheers for the timber suppliers link Dakota Kid, I've found a specialties timber supplier near me that I think may supply potential bow woods, the ones  it sells that I think may suit are saligna ( a species of gum tree?) , blackwood, and  cedar (not sure which type, making inquiry).. can anyone confirm whether these would suit?

really appreciating all the help I'm getting

[PlanB]

You could make a sapling bow from maunk/kanuka pretty quickly if you hewed one of about 3" dia. down to your rough bow dimensions first and kept it indoors or in a warm shed. A few weeks. I did that with a sapling here, and it dried surprisingly quickly.

[Dakota Kid]

Silver ash is in the citrus tree family according to Wiki. Queensland Maple was in the same family. According to the numbers on the wood database it's an average bow wood.

Spotted Gum and Red Ironbark are supposedly the two best options for a native Australian species bow.