I need advice.

[MadisonManuel]

Hello world my name is madison I am wanting to make an ipe bow backed with hickory. I was wondering if someone could give me some dimensions for an ipe bow backed with hickory and some advice. Thank you very much.

[Badger]

  Antime you are working with a heavy wood like ipe you want to keep the outer limbs pretty narrow. It depends on the style of bow you are building. A stiff handled american long bow, an r/d longbow or an English longbow style will all have different dimensions. Have you settled on a design yet? Most of my stiff handled bows end up about 1 1/4 wide.

[bubby]

Like badger said rough out 1-1/4" wide but u can get a heavy stick out of a inch wide piece

[FilipT]

What would be general dimensions for r/d longbow of for example 68 or 66" ntn?

[Bryce]

I would go skinnier. Like 1" it doesn't take a lot of pie to make a bow, and you don't want to end up with too much hickory then the bow will take more set than need be.  What's your draw length?
For me I would 66" ntn if it's an R/D

Anyways keep up updated with the build and we can help every step of the way

Have fun!

[MadisonManuel]

I'm planing on an American long bow design with a rigid handel and a riser. From nok to nok will be 59in and I have a 27in draw length. I also plan on hunting with this bow.

[loon]

Why not bamboo/ipe?

[MadisonManuel]

Hickory is easier to get my hands on and I heard that bamboo comes off easy.

[PEARL DRUMS]

You heard wrong sir.

[Bryce]

Hickory is easier to get my hands on and I heard that bamboo comes off easy.

Hahaha well you heard wrong.

Boo+ipe is one of my favorite combos. And it's one fast and deadly combinations

[FilipT]

Not everyone has access to bamboo "boards" to use for the backing. I certainly don't, you can buy bamboo here only for the floors, that means its decrowned, thick and wouldn't work as a backing.
Also don't have hickory in Europe. What would be good substitute for the backing? I am not trying to derail Madison's thread and I think he is also interested in answer.

[PatM]

There's nothing wrong with hickory but good hickory seems to be a fairly rare thing. Ash is also a very good backing and available in Europe.
  Maple works very well too.

[FilipT]

Like decrowned boards from ash/maple, or thin crowned pieces of wood?

[bubby]

First how many bows have you built? 59 ntn is a little short for a newbie builder 66" ttt is much more doable for an inexperienced builder and will hunt just fine. If you have a good pc of hickory use it but i prefer hard maple or boo with boo my first choice. I guess i would go 1-1/8" wide from the fades to 12" from the tips with 2" fades and a 4" grip

[PatM]

Straight grain is more important than the particular orientation of the cut but actual outer portions of trees works best. Essentially make a backing from wood the same way bamboo is used.