Jatoba as a bow wood

[Buck Buckley]

any body have any luck with this wood backed with bamboo, looking for some insight before I buy some.
               Thanks Buck

[wingnut]

Buck,

I know a few guys that tried it and had the same trouble as with ipe.  It crystaled or raised a splinter.  I don't know if it was wood selection, bow design, or just the wood, but I haven't seen a successful Jatoba bow.  There are a bunch of guys building ipe bows now though and doing well with it.  Won't work in my designs but heck I've got osage.

Mike

[bvalentine002]

I did a 61# @ 31" , 68" N2N Bamboo backed Jatoba and it shoots great (1000+ shots). No problems at all. I like Jatoba. It's not as dense or as tough as Ipe, but it's stronger in most ways than most woods grown in the US.
-Brett

[EASTERNARCHER]

Originally posted by Buck Buckley:
any body have any luck with this wood backed with bamboo.

Buck, I'm no expert at bowbuilding, but for my 2nd and third bows, I did a hickory backing on Jatoba. No. 2 twisted on me, but that was my fault...
No.3 turned out to be a shooter...(so far anyhow)
64" ntn and 50 lbs at 27".  1.25" wide out to midlimb and tapered to 1.2" nocks.
Got may 100 shoots thru her right now...in the process of final sanding this weekend. I'd use it again. No frets on this one or splinters.
 
 

[Buck Buckley]

Thanks for the input guys, I can't get any Osage for a month or so from the place were I get it. So I thiught I would try some thing different.
                              Thanks Buck

[bvalentine002]

Good Luck.
It'sprobablytough enough to do a narrow pyramid-style bow:

1.25- 1.5" wide at the fades with a straight taper to 3/8" nocks.

Again. Good Luck!
-Brett