what wood would you use?

[bowhuntinhillbilly]

what wood would be best for making a 125 or 100 pould draw warbow? can anyone post plans or diagrams of dimensions?

[Bowbound]

Well the best would be yew, but understandably this might be hard to get so a bamboo ipe laminate would suffice.

What have you got then perhaps we could pick out the best options for you.

[Papa Matt]

Of course if you're looking for a traditional English war bow, like was said above Yew is the best choice. I've never made a high-pound war bow from it, but I've heard Black Locust makes a good one. But like he said, what do ya got?

~~Papa Matt

[wally]

I've seen an Ipe/boo English longbow made by Chris Boyton which is beautiful and, because of strength of Ipe and boo, is so narrow and light it's hard to believe it's 70lb.
That would easily make a 100/120 bow. English longbows here are usually self bow Yew but there are very many variations. Laminated are probably as popular Hickory/lemonwood/locust I've seen one from Elm, Hawthorn, English Oak (but it broke so don't use it!), I think almost any combo of laminations would do.
 I suppose your Osage would be original for a selfbow English longbow-ever been done?

[Papa Matt]

Wally, not by me-but I think Osage ELB's have been done and shown on here.

~~Papa Matt

[bowhuntinhillbilly]

I have hickory, walnut, red oak, white oak, and black locust to use and I want between a 100lb. or 125lb. draw bow

[wally]

Really I'm no expert, but if you really want to make an English Warbow out of one piece of wood, at that weight, the Yew with its sapwood back for tension and heartwood belly under compression will be hard to beat.
    From the wood you've got I would say the black locust probably best. The English Longbow is in a distinctive D section shape, but I think I read somewhere of a wide flatbow made up to 120lb. A warbow was made for a different application than was a hunting bow, although the ELB has been used to take most animals down.

[Bowbound]

I have hickory, walnut, red oak, white oak, and black locust to use and I want between a 100lb. or 125lb. draw bow

You're best wood is either black locust or hickory from what i have read. (never worked with either of them) If you could get a bit of ipe from a local shop then hickory backed ipe would do it. Otherwise a self bow of hickory or black locust is probably best. You might get away with the oaks if the tiller is good and they are wide enough. I don't know about walnut...

[triton]

if you get a piece of yew that's as free from knots as possible but is really too bad to make a self bow, you could cut the sapwood off and back the stave with hickory or bamboo.  if you back with hickory and cut it flat grain and scrape down to follow one ring, you should get a very nice bow at a fraction of the cost of a good yew self stave.

[Papa Matt]

As you can see, you have a few choices.    Honestly, if you don't have yew, I would go with Black Locust. You'll just have to take your pick.

~~Papa Matt

[bcbull]

 ok  iv made several osage elb  s my latest was a 97 # osage elb  belive me  if you can find some dense heavy osage  go for it!!!!  none better if ya can t  get yew   if not id got with the ipe/hickory back  as mentiond above   brock

[broad_head]

One other good belly wood is Massaranduba, I think it is slightly better than ipe. It is sold here in the UK for decking material. I have made a number of laminated English longbows from it.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Peter (UK)

[Loki]

If you want to make it  a Full Compass 'D' sectioned Bow i'd go with the Walnut (Black?) or if you can trade for Osage,that would be even better.I think the Hickory,Oaks and Locust are better suited to a Flat design but i havent tried them with Rounded Belly's (havent used Oak at all) so i really dont know  .