Osage backing for ERC?

[Stickhead]

I’m close to committing to putting 1/8th inch strip of Osage over an ERC roughed out bow (about 50/50 heartwood/sapwood).  Anybody ever tried this combination?  My last experiment, a hickory backed ERC, blew up.  But the hickory was questionable, so I’m hoping the Osage will have enough tension strength to hold it together.

Yeah, I know, you want me to back it with sinew, but I’m not ready to go that route yet.

[Pat B]

I think I'd back an ERC bow with osage sapwood but I don't know about a 50/50 combo. Elm or maple might be a better option. IMO

[Stickhead]

I think I'd back an ERC bow with osage sapwood but I don't know about a 50/50 combo. Elm or maple might be a better option. IMO

I meant that the ERC is 50/50, and the Osage strip would go on top of that.  The Osage strip is 1/8” of heartwood.

[Kidder]

Would you be thinking of a single growth ring on the Osage or decrowned?

[Stickhead]

Would you be thinking of a single growth ring on the Osage or decrowned?

Neither.  It’s edge grain, cut perpendicular to the rings.  The lines run pretty straight.

[Pat B]

My concern about osage, whether it is bias or edge grain is it is brittle and the possibility of a splinter lifting as a backing is higher. IMO.

[Stickhead]

My concern about osage, whether it is bias or edge grain is it is brittle and the possibility of a splinter lifting as a backing is higher. IMO.

Hmm.  Duly noted.

[Eric Krewson]

Unlike other woods the early wood ring on osage is very weak and chalky. I haven't tried an edge grain osaeg backing so I am just speculating, a thin edge grain backing may be very weak.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I don’t think you’ll Have an issue. Cedars compression Strength comes in its resilience and ability to spring back. But is very soft and is made to take that compression easy. So I don’t think you’ll be stressing the edge grain Osage enough to hurt anything. Especially considering edge grain Osage will make a solid bow in its own and it’s own compression resilience is higher than the ERC, so the back would be under more stress as a selfbow than as a backing in ERC.
I say try it and let us know how it does.

Kyle

[airkah]

I've had the same experience as Pat. Tried it a couple times a few years ago and never had any luck with it.

[Stickhead]

Well, I reckon I’ll try it as an experiment

[Hamish]

edge grain/quartersawn, carefully check the grain(not growth ring run, which is more prominent but can give you a false reading) on the side. Grain will be hard to see but it tells whether the board is actually straight grained, and not cut from a twisty tree, or out of parallel with the trunk.