QUESTION: Which bow limb laminations should I choose?
ANSWER: There are several things to take into consideration with this question, but the easiest answer is: Choose the wood that is most aesthetically pleasing to you. In reality, most of the strength and performance of you limbs comes from the fiberglass. Obviously a lighter limb will be a faster limb, but the difference between the heaviest wood we stock and the lightest wood we stock would only be a few feet per second, if that. So pick the wood that really speaks to you, especially if you are opting for clear fiberglass, which will allow you to see the back and belly of the bow. Take a look at our Wood Samples page, the Bingham Bows page, and the Bow of the Month page to get an idea of what wood combinations you find the most aesthetically pleasing.
Another consideration would be the availability of full length 72″ laminations. Most bowyers find a full length parallel lamination easier to work with when gluing up the bow. If that is something you are interested in, you should consider maple, red elm, ash, or action-boo for your parallels, as these are the only woods we can cut full length. Any other wood, and all tapers, are 36″ pairs.
