Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Chris grimbowyer on February 22, 2011, 09:55:54 pm

Title: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: Chris grimbowyer on February 22, 2011, 09:55:54 pm

What wood is the strongest in compression and what wood is the strongest in tension. I am assuming hickory for tension but what about bamboo? I know it is not a wood but please consider it. I was thinking of maybe a laminated bow of these two woods or grasses? Just an experiment.

Title: Re: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: Josh on February 22, 2011, 09:57:13 pm

bamboo backed ipe is a very good combination in the compression/tension point of view.  Besides being a beautiful combination to boot.  :)

Title: Re: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: youngbowyer on February 22, 2011, 10:06:22 pm

An awesome combination would be compression yew heartwood backed with tension hickory. Hard to come by though  :o

Title: Re: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: Chris grimbowyer on February 22, 2011, 10:27:57 pm

I looked up some scientific research and the winner for compression is Black locust at 10,180 PSI. I already know hickory is prettymuch number one in tension and some have told me bamboo is even better. Imagine a BBBL bow? maybe with a perry reflex? Pretty cool I say.

Title: Re: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: JackCrafty on February 23, 2011, 03:03:38 pm

Hmmm... I looked up black locust and you are right, it has a compression value of 10,180 inch-pounds.  However, just because it can resist a lot of compression, that doesn't mean that the wood is very elastic.

Some other woods:

Ipe 13,010 inch-pounds
Bubinga 10,500
Purpleheart 10,320
Ramin 10,080
Greenheart 12,510
Shagbark Hickory 9,210

Title: Re: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: Elktracker on February 23, 2011, 03:23:46 pm

Quote from: Josh on February 22, 2011, 09:57:13 pm

bamboo backed ipe is a very good combination in the compression/tension point of view.  Besides being a beautiful combination to boot.  :)

X2

Title: Re: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: JustinNC on February 23, 2011, 03:39:55 pm

HBBL sounds like an excellent domestic choice.

Title: Re: Bow wood and a little more.
Post by: Pat B on February 23, 2011, 04:53:38 pm

Locust is one of the strongest US woods in compression but it is brittle. For straight downward compression it can hardly be beat but for bending compression the brittleness can cause compression fractures(frets, chrysals). Boo or hickory are very strong in tension. I prefer hickory because of the ease of use and durability. I have had mixed results with boo and it takes a lot more prep time. Osage and ipe are two very good belly woods for either boo or hickory.