Hi all I have been on the side lines for some time now and have lurned a lot form this forum and I thank ya'll for that.

I just completed my first bow and I am hooked already have plans for the next 4 or 5.  I have met up with a guy localy that has been building for about 15 years and I have learned a lot form him. But I think he may be getting tierd of all my questions     so I thout I would join here and bug all ya'll.

Just a few to get started.
What I you Favorite wood combo for bow building?
Where do you get you exotic woods from?


Thanks for all the help

If you have a pic of the combo pleas post them.

favorite wood ???   is yew  or osage maulberry that order hands down  you dont say if ur bulding laminated or self bow s thatD help the qustion a bunch id say   get ur local hard wood s at wood craft or some silmar dealer who carrys hardwoods  brock

I found a cabinet wood suplier here in Southeast Texas named Acadian Hardwoods for my supply. They have walnut, zebra wood, bubinga, bacote, cocobolo etc. Most all of the popular ones and many more (leopard wood, wenge, purple heart). Call some custom cabinet makers from the phone book and they can tell you where to go.
Bubinga is durable riser wood and less expensive to start with. Zebra wood is a step up in price which I think is beautifull. Some of the most exotic woods are oily and can be harder to finish.
I got some hard maple for laminations because it is economical and mostly clear of blemishes. I plan on getting some  vertical laminated bamboo flooring to use for lams soon. You can get a box of that at most any flooring store or online.

i looked on craigs list for ipe wood decking and found a guy that makes decks from ipe. The boards were all 4 foot long but i used a z splice and got 8 bow staves out of them for 40 bucks i think thats pretty good.

Thanks for the response guys I am building laminate bows. My first and only one so far has a bubinga riser with maple core lams and walnut vaners under clear glass. It is a r/d longbow 40# at 28" it is 62" tnt and 64" ttt with a center cut shelf.

I think my favorite for lam bows is wenge and zebrawood and ebony and bicote. wenge and padak is good too after the padak reds out. bubinga with purpleheart turns out nice  There are tons of combos that are striking. I saw one not long ago that was a grey diamondwood with osage in a recurve that was STUNNING.

I get my wood cut for me for whatever purpose im using it for, generally by the 25, 50 and 100BF. Exotics are the same way - cheaper in bulk. I used woodworkers source and still do on small quanity - they are good folks to work with - never have done me wrong.

Wenge and zebrawood




Wenge and padak



Purpleheart, bubinga and maple



Wenge, zebrawood, bamboo, antler and snakeskins

Here are a few I like together:
Bocote - Osage
Shedua - Bubinga
Black Limba - Osage
Yew - Bubinga
Face grain Red Elm - Bubinga
Cocobolo - Osage
Wenge - Osage
Wenge - Bubinga
All Zebra