Best Board Bow Wood??

[riden]

I am a school teacher and a master woodworker. OK, maybe not a master, but certainly a pretty good work worker. I teach woodworking in different ways in some options classes. These are just fun classes that I want to be hands on. Last year we made board bows using nothing but hand tools. I was very pleased with the way they turned out, especially for my 1st time teaching it.

To be clear, I am good with wood, not into bows at all.

We used ash boards and an old plan from a 1950`s Popular Mechanics. It had a chart on sizes that corresponded to the poundage of the bow. 45 lbs is a legal hunting bow here so that is what they all aimed for, and they were miserable to pull. I doubt the chart was right.

I  ordered the Bowyers Bible, I should have had it earlier. But I woudl like to order my wood this week.

Some have told me they think ash was a poor choice, any suggestions on a better woodÉ . Is it worth the work to laminate different species?

[tronman]

Hickory-great wood for board bows- also maple. That is just my opinion. Have used both and either one will make a nice bow. H
http://www.pinehollowlongbows.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=221

[George Tsoukalas]

I like red oak but that s a personal preference. There are 3 keys to making a board bow. First, is choose a board with straight grain. Second, is choose a board with straight grain.
Third, is choose a board with straight grain. My site has info. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[Pat B]

Riden, I suggest you read George's site. Lots of excellent info from beginning to end. Plus, George is a teacher's teacher!!! 

[bubby]

maple and hickory are great, but white oak is damn near unbreakable in my experience

[aznboi3644]

You say they were miserable to pull?

Did you do any TILLERING at all?

[Stingray45]

Ash is a fine wood. There are definitely better specimens such a hickory. But I have made several Ash board bows. I bought a very straight grained piece of ash that was 2" x 8" and 72" long, I believe I got 9 or 10 staves out of it. Have had no trouble making bows in the 40#-55# range. As Jawge said the most important thing is a board with straight grain. If you can straight grained hickory that would be your best bet.

[Denham Archer]

I would go with red oak.  Easy to get, and makes a fine bow!

[Ifrit617]

Red oak gets my vote.... It may not be the most durable but is easy to get, easy to work, and makes a damn good bow...

[makenzie71]

george you need some updated pics!

[riden]

Wow, lot's of responses, thanks guys. I should mention, I have an account at a hardwood wholesaler, so I have access to a lot of wood types.

Not many votes for ash huh?

Yes we did tiller them, but I suspect the chart that indicated the thickness and width was wrong or didn't apply to ash. The draw weight was sure more than 45 lbs.

[bubby]

look at some of halfeye's posts, he has good success with ash

[PEARL DRUMS]

Hickory, hickory and hickory are the best board bow woods in that order........in my book anyway. You cant break it, it can have more grain violations than oak and still hold together.

[Stretch]

I don't know if it's an issue or not, but most hardwood dealers don't differentiate between Hickory and Pecan.  They're sold as the same wood at a lot of places. 

[Pat B]

Pecan is hickory!
  Riden, instead of following the directions as to the thickness, tiller your bow out until you get both limbs bending evenly and together then remove enough wood, evenly to reduce the weight.