Got a chance to get some tiger wood...

[Easternarcher]

One positive thing that comes from personal troubles is the chance to channel the frustration into building something beautiful.....Thank You all.

Now, I got tthis chance to pick up some tiger wood (please, no Tiger Woods jokes huh?) from a flooring place.....has anybody tried this stuff as belly wood using Hickory or boo backing?

[Rich Saffold]

Do you mean tiger stripe maple? If this is what they mean then I'd get some..Thin backing 4-5 to one ratio so the belly core stays semi deep..Some maples are beyond beautiful, and even if it makes only a 30# bow I don't care I'll buy the piece..

[Easternarcher]

Rich, no this is the South American wood like zebrano I think.   I'd LOVE to get some tiger maple....

[Glenn]

I have used plenty of tigerwood for laminations in fibreglass laminated bows, the timber is dense and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be any good for belly timber, all of the tigerwood I have bought has been flooring timber as well...Glenn...

[stiknstring]

Is that the stuff I recently saw at building supply store called Tiger Decking?

Just curious...it turns into really nice pens and I might try a boo backed bow if it will work.

[Rich Saffold]

Interesting, gonna have to look for that today when I go ipe shopping..reasonably priced, tropical belly woods always get my interest!

[Easternarcher]

If I get some of this stuff, I'll likely back it with hickory (since I don't have any boo)

[Glenn]

The tigerwood I buy is external decking boards, I would say it is the same timber as it comes from South America, I pick through it to find the best growth rings as a lot of it can just be one colour, but you will find some beautifully marked timber. You just have to be careful of the grain. The growth rings in tropical hardwoods are not true grain as in osage and other Northern Hemisphere trees, you have to look carefully at each piece to see the grain and you can see it after look at enough pieces...Glenn...

[Easternarcher]

Hi Glen, yeah, I noticed the faint grain lines in most of the Jatoba I have as well...some almost looks like there is no grain at all.

BTW...I'll be posting my Jatoba bow as soon as I can get some decent pics...It turned out OK, 47# at 27" - 64"ntn.

[Glenn]

Most of the Souther Hemisphere hardwoods are the same, there is no separation of latewood with pulpy earlywood, even though there is growth rings the only way to find true grain in Australian hardwoods is to split it. But most times with dense hardwoods you can just plane the back straight and go from there but with the decking boards you have the back prepared. Look foward to see some photos...Glenn...