I'm seeking advice from you experienced boyers. I have available to me in my shop hard maple, cherry, mahogany, purple heart, and walnut. I'll be getting some IPE next month but would like to try to build a tri lam with what I have in the meantime. How does this combination sound? Cherry back, PH core, with a walnut belly. Or with what I have is there any other better combination?
Cherry is poor in tension resistance, relatively speaking. Of your options, I'd try hard maple/cherry/hard maple.
Osage or ipe on the belly would be the ticket.
I will be picking up some IPE hopefully next month so I may just hold off on the tri lam until then and go with your recommendation, HM,Ch,Ipe.
Labill how far are you from west monroe? If you close I can help ya. I have built a few bbi and bbo's.
I was going to suggest holding off until you got the ipe.
I have made 3 bows with ipe belly and have number 4 on the go.
It can make for a very light weight bow with decent draw weight.
Go carefully with the ipe, it makes nasty little splinters.
QuoteOriginally posted by passion for knowledge:
Go carefully with the ipe, it makes nasty little splinters.
Hell hath no fury like a good Ipe splinter
QuoteOriginally posted by LittleBen:
Hell hath no fury like a good Ipe splinter
Also be certain to work in a well ventilated area with a dust mask and covered arms and legs. Ipe dust is NASTY stuff.
Yup IPE can be nasty...
Use 1/4 sawn maple for the backing. Make it 1/8th thick and select a piece with very little run outs on the edges.