I am having trouble finding a red oak board that will work. And with the economy it may be a few months before any new shipments arrive. I would really like to start on a bow while I have time.

get the best one you can find and make it longer and bend through the handle.

If the grain isn't perfectly straight, just follow the grain when you cut it. Or you could just buy some hickory and then from my experience the grain doest even matter

Thankyou for the info guys. If I could find some hikory here local I would try that,but to order a hickory board or stave is out of my buget right now.

What are you planning on backing it with?

Tough question to answer because allot depends on the weight you want. I allow 2 run outs per limb for 50-55# bow for a bend in the handle bow.  Less than that then back it. Silk, burlap and linen make good backings. No knots, etc allowed. More on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

4est trekker I have been thinking of backing with silk or linen. George I would like to keep the bow in that 50-55 pound range where most of my bows are. I would like to have a handle but if a bend is easier do deal with run ups than thats what I will do. Now if I understand your website if I have more than 2 run ups it needs to be backed. Most of the wood that I have found has knots ect.. How many run ups per limb would be allowed if backed in that poundage? I do apeachate all your help.

Look for shorter boards that you can take billets from. And then splice in the handle. Much easier to find cleaner shorter boards than longer ones. ART

Thankyou art I think that I have seen a couple that would be great for for billets.

Like Art said use shorter boards if you can't find suitable long ones. At Lowe's and Home Depot they have red oak in 36" length and in a few different widths. The splice can be covered with a wood overlay(back side) as well as the riser(belly side) and that will hold it together. If you do splice the stave don't make a bendy handle bow. Keep it rigid.

If I was to splice billets with a z,box,or v splice would a glued on handle work for the belly side overlay?  And how thick should the overlay be for the back? I would assume that I should keep the handle thicker.

I've never seen a need for an overlay myself but I use a 4" "Z" splice glued with urac-185. Glued on handle piece will work fine. Or you can go ahead and double the handle section (1 1/2" thickness) on each billet and splice the whole thing together just like you would a regular stave billet. ART

Once again thankyou all for your help.  

I have never tried red oak for bow wood, how does it compare with hickory? I've seen a couple threads now on red oak boards. Would the design have to be wider than hickory? Thanks..

Funny part is even looking to do splices still no luck    But thats ok I guess. Maybe I will have to head south some day it's 45 min drive to the next town that has lumber. Sorry roy I cant answer your question I still learning.

2 run ups per limb. 4 in all. But I'm picky with boards. Jawge

Most of the boards were pretty bad,knots,waves,ect... I found one that would be good for only one splice but thats it. But there is not much to choose from here. It is mainly the cull thats left. But I'm sure in the near furture I can make a trip south to St. George it has two homedots and a lowes. I guess I can hunt for trees to take staves from in the mean time.

knotted boards should stay in the rack.  Roy, the ones I've built from hickory have had the same dimensions as red oak. I use 1 x 2 's. jawge

Thanks George, so how wide do you make the flares, 1 1/2 inches, or a little wider?. And the tips?