My little girl - halfway to five, wants her own bow but one that looks like dads - wood.
I was thinking of making a riser from Cocabolo( found some) and then make the limbs from veneers.
It will be a flat longbow.
What wood veneers will be the best to use and will I have to add glass or backing cause these veneers are for the cabinet making industry , different drying process I think.
All help would be appretiated.
thanks
Of you're getting your limbs from cabinet veneers you might want to see if you have any black walnut available. Walnut makes a really good limb wood.
Red Elm makes some pretty veneers too. Maybe a black walnut on the back and a Red Elm on the front with matching accent strips in the riser. That would tie it all together nicely. Remember, girls (and most guys for that matter) want the bow to be both pretty and functional. Also, if you are trying to keep the limbs light but still want them to preform well, think about putting a carbon lamination in them. That would keep them pretty fast even at a low weight.
Greg
I back all the kids bows I make with bamboo. I feel a bamboo backed bow is very unlikely to explode if it fails, wouldn't want a little one hurt from flying splinters.