OK I got this idea, not original I know... but I would like to try and build a glass backed only Osage bow.

I have a nice Osage board that is about 5/8" thick and 2" wide. So....

What thickness glass should I use?

Do I have to use a heat box for the glass to board glue up?

And finally what general dimensions would you recommend. Would a Hill style work.

Thanks Guys!

.040 glass should work fine. No hot box necessary.
you could use work lights and just clamp it to a bench for a straight back bow.

For Hill-Style Longbow i would not use Osage. It will work, surely, but I think its way too heavy for this design. i´ve built few short recurves with osage. they all are nice shooters and good looking.

For Hill-Style i would use Bamboo, Yew, Birch, Ash.

Greets
Herm

So glass will work with what I would normally put into a BBO? A taper core and a parallel belly? The glass wont overpower the osage?

if you put the glass only on back, it would surely overpower the osage.

Greets
Herm

A few commercial bowyers tried glass backed bows a couple of years ago and abandoned the idea because of mixed results. I think Mike Westvang(wingnut) was one.
IMO, hickory or boo would be a better option.

Ok... scratch the glass backed osage....  

I have an OLD bow I think is a Lemonwood with brown glass on the back only. The wood isnt any kind I recognize. It looks hardware store like? Its about 60+ years old. Its hasnt been strung in 40 years, so who knows how durable it is/was.

Pearl, your bow is Lemonwood backed with fortisan(sp)I bet. I have one that I skinned for my wife about 15-16yrs ago and it shoots fine.

Fortisan?

Sounds like glass is too strong in tension. I do have a piece of hickory I could use for backing. What general dimensions would you recommend for a 50lb'er?

Thanks again,
Steve

What's your draw length? Anywhere from 60" to 66", 1 3/8" at the fades and out 6" then a straight taper to 1/2" tips for now.

Hi Pat, I draw a pretty solid 28 1/2"

64" to 66" to be safe but with all other measurements.