Advice on hickroy

[NTProf]

Hi everyone,

This weekend I hope to pick up some hickory boards to make a bow or two. I want something in the #50 range to hunt with. Any suggestions for an efficient design? Thinking of some kind of pyramid design; but I am open to suggestions. I have never built one from hickory.   Dave

[RyanY]

If I had to make a hickory pyramid bow for hunting I'd go with a 64" bow with 8" handle and fades. 2.5" at the fades tapering to 1/2", 6" from the tips which then taper to 1/4" nocks. The extra width near the handle will allow for good circular tiller without taking much set and the narrow tips will keep mass low. Heat treating is good on hickory as well. That's what I would go with.

[Hrothgar]

Some type of hickory flatbow, it shouldn't need to be over 64" if your draw isn't over 28".

[Buckeye Guy]

I don't know anything about Pyramid bows.
But 1 3/4" is plenty of hickory for a 50lb bow
Guy

[bubby]

66"ntn 1" 3/4" at the fades, four inch handle with two inch fades, straight taper to half inch tips, I cut out my pyramid bows on a tablesaw, mark the start of the blade on the table and you can cut up to the end of the fades then finish on a bandsaw, make the limb thickness 1/2" and tiller from there, once it's cut out and the edges rounded it's floor tillered and probablly ready for a low brace, lease that's how i do it, Bub

[NTProf]

Thanks everyone. THis has been really helpful.

[Pappy]

Not sure on a board bow but I have built a bunch of Hickory stave bow and what buddy said should work fine,even a little narrower at the fads works fine for me.
1 5/8 or so. I would think a board would be about the same.
   Pappy

[crooketarrow]

  I'm like pappy never built any board bows. Hickorys my favoret wood. I build my bows 60" to 64"s. 1 1/2 up tp 55 1 3/4's for anything over 60#'s 1 5/8 for inbetween. I never back my bows and cut a shelf to center shot.
  Since there no ring to chase a board bow will work good with hickory.

[Matt S.]

Not much experience with hickory here, only 3 bows from the wood so far, but my one piece of advice is to stay away from heartwood. I had a couple of boards with a mix of heartwood and sapwood. The heartwood seems very brittle.
I don't know if anyone else has experienced this so take my advice for what it's worth 

[adb]

I'd have to agree with Matt S, I've had bad luck wth hickory heartwood. It is brittle, and almost crumbles in spots.

[mikekeswick]

Umm interesting i've backed a few ipe and greenheart elb's with hickory heartwood and had no problems at all. I've tested it and it turns out a little denser than sapwood from the same board.
As for design personally i'd go for a holmguaard replica. Sort of a modified pyramid. Heat treat and trap the back - a lot