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Question for horn bellied bow builders

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colin1991:
Thats a great idea!! I will ask around a few local butchers and see if I can get some from them.

I'd like to keep to either a timber or sinew back if possible. I think either bamboo or hickory will hold up fine to the weight I'm after. I've already had hickory to 120lbs in the same design.. If I can get that weight again I'll be stoked!

Colin

loon:
not sure if hickory makes a good core or not (if it absorbs animal glue well?)

colin1991:
Won't be using hickory as a core and won't be using animal glue for the belly either...

My design will most likely consist of a hickory back, Massaranduba core with small kerfed recurves and a horn belly, All glued in reflex...

massive increases in performance over a full timber prod because of the horn belly, recurves and relflex

loon:
good luck. hm i think someone made a wood bow with a horn belly and no sinew back in the Bows forum? It was pretty long though
I would use animal (hide or fish) glue just based on what I've read from people who've built horn bows, to glue the horn to the wooden core.

mikekeswick:
You can use too much reflex with a composite construction as the parts will try to seperate. Think whats happening at the gluelines. Virtuaslly all composites had minimal reflex in the bending sections because of the forces. Study Turkish bows.
Do not use massa for a core it is not suitable. Use hard maple.
It's not about the draw weight as to wether hickory/boo would hold. It's the fact that horn can compress about 8 times further than wood. Sinew is the perfect match as it can be stretched as far as horn can be compressed.
Forget the 'massive increases in performance over a full timber prod...' it is very unlikely that you will see much difference. Composite construction can store more energy for certain but you have to marry the design to the materials capabilities. It's a tricky thing to do and would suggest to you that you have a long road ahead before you get to the potential.

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