Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Jefficus on December 26, 2015, 04:43:06 pm

Title: Strightforward wood backing question
Post by: Jefficus on December 26, 2015, 04:43:06 pm
Understanding of course that different woods are stronger or weaker in tension, would it be right to say that basically any wood that is viable for use as a selfbow can also be used as a backing for one? 
Title: Re: Strightforward wood backing question
Post by: tattoo dave on December 26, 2015, 04:57:21 pm
That's a safe bet, providing the grain runs good and straight. Like you said though some woods are stronger than others, so there's some woods that make better combinations than others.

Tattoo Dave
Title: Re: Strightforward wood backing question
Post by: Jefficus on December 26, 2015, 04:59:38 pm
gotcha, thanks for the confirmation!
Title: Re: Strightforward wood backing question
Post by: PatM on December 26, 2015, 05:34:34 pm
 Within reason. A marginal selfbow wood used as a backing might not fare as well. You could try backing Ipe with Red Oak for example.
Title: Re: Strightforward wood backing question
Post by: willie on December 26, 2015, 05:37:02 pm
yes , and maybe even some woods that are not considered good bow woods.

some woods that are considered poor choices for selfbows are woods that do not have good compression qualities, but that says nothing about tension quality.

generally, a wood is considered to have twice or more the tension strength as compression strength