Hickory versus Maple Backing

[adb]

You should vary thickness for the belly wood used. I generally use between 3/16 to 1/8. Thinner for weaker compression prone woods. Can't wait to get a drum sander!


VMB

I vary the thickness according to the draw weight I am going for and not the compression strength of the wood.

+1, and no, I don't change the thickness once I've decided what I want.

[lostarrow]

You should vary thickness for the belly wood used. I generally use between 3/16 to 1/8. Thinner for weaker compression prone woods. Can't wait to get a drum sander!


VMB

I vary the thickness according to the draw weight I am going for and not the compression strength of the wood.

+1, and no, I don't change the thickness once I've decided what I want.

 So what thickness would you typically put on  a 70#  maple backed Ipe longbow Vs. a 50#Hickory backed  Red oak with stiff tips and riser?

[Badger]

  I use all kinds of backing, hickory, white oak, maple, ash, red oak, elm if I happen to find a piece. I make everything about 1/8". I have had both success and failure with all of them so really have no solid opinion. I do tend to stay away from hickory and cherry bows but this year I had a couple of hckory backed cherries come out great. So no opinions here.

[Marc St Louis]

I use 1/8" backings for most everything up to 70# then move up to 3/16" backings till I hit 100# then it's 1/4" thick backings

[adb]

I'm close to Marc, only 1/16" thicker on all accounts. I like to start a bit thicker, because I like to really trap and round the backing.

[vinemaplebows]

You should very thickness for the belly wood used. I generally use between 3/16 to 1/8. Thinner for weaker compression prone woods. Can't wait to get a drum sander!


VMB

I'm not following you.   

On light woods like Eastern red cedar, Cascara, cherry, I tiller the backing as well as the belly...tapering it. Choice, just the way I pefer to do it.

[vinemaplebows]

  I use all kinds of backing, hickory, white oak, maple, ash, red oak, elm if I happen to find a piece. I make everything about 1/8". I have had both success and failure with all of them so really have no solid opinion. I do tend to stay away from hickory and cherry bows but this year I had a couple of hckory backed cherries come out great. So no opinions here.

Try tapering the back Steve, see what you think.