# Red oak self bow, to back or not?



## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

NO. Fiberglass, actualbow fiberglass, will crush the belly. Bad idea. 

If you don't want the bow to break, use something like cloth- cotton, linen, silk. But if your design is proper you don't need a backing at all.


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## wis_archer (Jul 27, 2007)

The last two I built I used wood glue with 4 layers of sheetrock tape in it as a backing. That is probably why it seemed the belly was under too much compression, and broke.


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## stiknstring (Aug 27, 2008)

Fiberglass drywall tape will not add that much compression strength. If it failed it was due to other factors such as poor wood choice or improper tillering or just plain old wrong design for the bow based on type of wood. Prepregnated glass is significantly different from what you were using.


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Sheetrock tape isn't really good for bow making. Cotton adds more strength. I thought you meant actual fiberglass laminations. Stiknstring is absolutely correct.


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## wis_archer (Jul 27, 2007)

stiknstring said:


> Fiberglass drywall tape will not add that much compression strength. If it failed it was due to other factors such as poor wood choice or improper tillering or just plain old wrong design for the bow based on type of wood. Prepregnated glass is significantly different from what you were using.


Alright, then I will keep using the sheetrock tape.

Maybe the mistake is kiln dried wood.....it had limb twist really bad, nothing could correct it.


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

wis_archer said:


> Alright, then I will keep using the sheetrock tape.
> 
> Maybe the mistake is kiln dried wood.....it had limb twist really bad, nothing could correct it.


Kild dried wood won't really be the main issue. Normally there are other issues at hand.


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## stiknstring (Aug 27, 2008)

LIMB TWIST= Poor tillering...If its twisting then one edge of your limb is probably thicker than the other.


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## wis_archer (Jul 27, 2007)

That was the issue.....I tried weakening the other side, and it got somewhat better.....but one side was half the thickness of the other. I think I'll just restart and do another since most of them turn out fine.


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## Tajue17 (Aug 18, 2005)

back it with canvas,sinew or cherry bark.... My friends made a bunch of wide limbed oak selfbows and they all broke sooner or later so i say unless you tiller it for a couple inches more than your actual draw then defenitely back it.


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Tajue17 said:


> back it with canvas,sinew or cherry bark.... My friends made a bunch of wide limbed oak selfbows and they all broke sooner or later so i say unless you tiller it for a couple inches more than your actual draw then defenitely back it.


What draw weight? I've made a number of 40-60# red oak board bows and they didn't fail unless I tried for extra heavy weights.


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