Hickory backed boo flooring belly???

[Easternarcher]

Can boo flooring be successfully used as the primary belly, or is it delegated as core material only?

What if boo flooring WAS used as belly wood with a lam of something over it to trap it? would that help prevent the set I've heard flooring is notorious for?

I got 4 - 6 ft. planks of the stuff and wondered if I could make a decent bow out of it. if it works, I could make as many as 6-8 bows from it...LOL
I'd be using hickory likely for the backing...I assume about 1/8th inch over 5/8" flooring.

How about a tri-lam with the flooring?

I've searched here, but can't find much info on it.

[Pat B]

I've made a few hickory backed boo flooring bows and they turned out nice but a bit light(35#-45#). I've done R/D and straight reflex with this combo.    Pat

[tom sawyer]

I don't know that it is notorious for taking set when used as a belly wood.  MAybe someone was just having problems finding the right design?

I had the opposite experience as Pat.  I made a slender pyramid bow (hickory backed flooring, 1.5" tapering to 3/8") and it was bending nicely at 70lb so I quit tillering.  Bad idea, the design was not intended for that weight and one limb blew.  My laziness for not taking it down to my intended weight of 50lb.  It was shaping up to be a very nice bow too, hadn't taken much set.

[Easternarcher]

tHESE EXPERIENCES ARE VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE.....WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM THESE TYPES OF POSTS. THANKS FOR POSTING GUYS.

[Hillbilly]

Lennie, was that horizontal or vertical boo flooring?

[Easternarcher]

SHOULDA MENTIONED THAT I'M USING VERTICAL CARBONIZED....

[tom sawyer]

I believe it was vertical, it looked like a quartersawn board (IIIIII).  It works quite a bit like regular wood.  I understsand the horizontal stuff doesn't work as well.  I think the carbonized is supposed to be OK on bellies.  There were a couple of guys posting on the Leatherwall who made a lot of these bows.

[DBernier]

I made one about a month ago. It was bamboo backed with a floor bamboo belly. It was 64 inches N to N and came in at 47# at 28. It is a reflex/deflex design and has lost about 2 inchs of reflex after a 100 shots or more. It will be at the NC Traditional shoot in May. Anyone who wants to shoot it can. It is a very smoth bow.

Dick Bernier

[DBernier]

Sorry for the extra photos

Dick

[venisonburger]

Verticle grained boo flooring is excellent for belly material, any excessive set may have been due to poor quality flooring. I have had very good luck with a boo flooring belly, maple core and raw boo back.

[Easternarcher]

hmmmm, I should be able to come up with that combo, 'burger...

Just a thought here, but I was wondering if it might work to use two thin lams of hickory and sandwich the flooring....would be an effictive use of resources? or wasting hickory on the belly???

[Pat B]

The stuff I used was the horizontal. Bows came out thick and took a bit of set.They are hickory backed with Perry reflex.    Pat