choice of 3?

[Squirrelslayer]

ok so im looking at buying some pre shaped laminated staves online that are ready to be tillered and there are 3 combinations. which one do you think would be best? theese are the three choisces.

1. ash backed red oak

2.hickory backed red oak

3.ash backed elm

i have heard good things about hickory and redoak so im leaning more towards them but what do you think is the best one? thanks in advance for any advice given. SS

[DarkSoul]

I thought you were kinda short on money? Ordering a pre shaped blank from online is anything but cheap. Buying some boards from a lumber yard will give you a lot more wood for a lot more bows for a lot less money. A lot less risk of losing money if you screw up your tillering. Practice on cheap boards first before you start with the expensive woods/staves.

Not the advice you were looking for. But I'm just being honest with you.

Hickory can overpower the red oak. An ash backing might actually be better for the oak.

[k-hat]

Ditto, lotta money for a single stave that may not work out. 

If you insist, go with the ash backed elm or oak.  Less likely to encounter problems.

[bow101]

   
Mmmmm seriously where do live. ? Must be some local trees and such to hack down. All free for the taking.!

In the next week I'll be getting Ocean spray and possibly some hawthorn, choke cherry and maple in the bush.

[k-hat]

Again, probly better to take the money you'd spend on that stave (plus shipping!!!), and get some proper tools and boards to work on locally.

[Squirrelslayer]

the price of the stave and shipping is under £50 which is my budget. so it isn't that expensive, but i will look into getting some boards. SS

[DarkSoul]

For 50 pounds, you could buy oak, ipé, ash or maple boards - and glue - for at least six bows.

[Ifrit617]

I personally would go with ash backed elm, I hate red oak as a belly wood.

Jon

[Squirrelslayer]

ok i think im going to go with ash backed elm. and i will be looking into getting some boards to work with. thanks everyone. SS

[Marc St Louis]

Neither one

[bushboy]

The big guy has spoken!!!

[bow101]

The big guy has spoken!!!

X2

[WillS]

You're getting these from eBay aren't you?  Somebody bought me an eBay laminated stave as a gift once.  I could peel the backing away from the belly with so little effort that it convinced me to never try and skip doing the work myself again.

Either write to the guy selling it and make sure he tells you exactly what he used to glue the laminate up, or do what all these experienced people are telling you (sigh - haven't we been here before?) and grab some cheap boards, some decent glue and make 5 times the number of staves you could for the same price.

[Squirrelslayer]

You're getting these from eBay aren't you?  Somebody bought me an eBay laminated stave as a gift once.  I could peel the backing away from the belly with so little effort that it convinced me to never try and skip doing the work myself again.

Either write to the guy selling it and make sure he tells you exactly what he used to glue the laminate up, or do what all these experienced people are telling you (sigh - haven't we been here before?) and grab some cheap boards, some decent glue and make 5 times the number of staves you could for the same price.

yeah i am getting them from ebay and i will ask him what he used for glue. and yes im going down to a timber yard to see if they have any ash, maple, walnut boards that i can work on while my maple staves dry. SS

[TRACY]

SS, I would invest less into boards versus buying w/o trying first from unknown "bowyer". You may have failures, but the knowledge you earn will be invaluable. Get a board or stave and try doing a guided build here.


Tracy