making a bow - getting started?

[muntries]

Hey guys,

me and a mate are planning to use some Vic Ash to have a go at making a board bow and was just wondering if there is any recommended reading, links etc that would help get started or any advice on our choice of timber?

Cheers
Simon

[perry]

Sorry mate I don't mean to be harsh but Vic Ash's best use may be as arrow wood. It is not a good bow wood, it has a low compression modulus and will suffer from compression fractures, It will fail. Off hand the only way I can see it making a fair Selfbow for an Adult you could make it 3.5 inches wide and it could be OK.

Plenty of threads on here re more suitable Australian bow wood so you could conduct a search. Start will a readily available hardwood like Spotted Gum floorboards. Have a scout through these links http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~ajcd/archer ... cnstr.html http://www.aussiebowhunter.com/showthread.php?t=13966 Have a read through the Traditional Bowyers Bible series, they are good referance and well worth owning http://books.google.com.au/books?id=dQT ... CCEQ6AEwAw . Volume 2 has a chapter dedicated to Board selfbows. There is 4 books in the series.

regards Jacko

[muntries]

Sorry mate I don't mean to be harsh but Vic Ash's best use may be as arrow wood. It is not a good bow wood, it has a low compression modulus and will suffer from compression fractures, It will fail.

No Jacko, you're not being harsh, much harsher having the bow fail and come crashing down on my noggin . I think spotted gum will be pretty easy to source so it shouldn't be an issue and tbh its a much nicer looking timber too, it was just a case of "we have it so we'll use it". Thanks for the links, I'll have a gander and order that book and hopefully in the coming months I'll post our creation.

Simon