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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Carpdaddy on January 21, 2017, 03:25:00 PM
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Hunting season just ended here in Ky so it's time to think about building my next season hunting bow. I only build a couple per year for myself and my hunting partner so I'm just a shade tree builder. Most real bowyers probably stay with a tried and proven profile but doing it as my hobby I like to change it up. With my stuff ordered I am beginning to think about what I want. I want to go longer than normal, 62-64", and want to come forward or reflex quite a bit. I am going to post a few pictures in hopes of getting some good input from you guys on what you like and why. I hung a couple of my recent years builds and the bottom is a piece of aluminum in some shapes I'm thinking about. I would appreciate some thoughts from some of you, thanks.
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(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/9EA9521C-B32C-405C-95C0-65491DFB5707_zpsdkrl3wa7.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/9EA9521C-B32C-405C-95C0-65491DFB5707_zpsdkrl3wa7.jpg.html)
(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/E8B0C6B8-AEBC-44F9-B797-CF33480B1B0F_zpsfcmrm23b.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/E8B0C6B8-AEBC-44F9-B797-CF33480B1B0F_zpsfcmrm23b.jpg.html)
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(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/64E72707-54F5-4DE8-8F14-3B6565B72582_zpsjmreqd74.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/64E72707-54F5-4DE8-8F14-3B6565B72582_zpsjmreqd74.jpg.html)
(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/C55D86DF-EE94-4A3C-9C0F-E06B3682B8B4_zpsrq058cai.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/C55D86DF-EE94-4A3C-9C0F-E06B3682B8B4_zpsrq058cai.jpg.html)
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Middle bow has a great profile if you reflex it a bit just past the fades and leave the rest as you see it.
Top bow will have less stability because the reflex is evenly distributed through the entire limb.
I personally do not like the bottom Aluminum profile at all.
God bless, Steve
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X2
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Too late on the top two bows, they are past builds. I am asking about the bottom aluminum profile which will be my next build, it is voted down so far. Thanks for your thoughts and input guys, I will change it up and post more next week.
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I was a little surprised with the lack of response on this question with so many bowyers here. Maybe you were trying too spare my feelings or something, or maybe it's been covered too much. I didn't even get a smart remark out of Roy! Thanks anyhow.
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IHHO the problem with that profile is the limbs will have a strong tendency to flip sideways.You can get the same effect of that much reflex by utilizing tip wedges on less radical limb profiles.
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I may just increase the reflex at the ends a little ion the form the middle bow was made on as suggested.
Thanks
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I've been watching this since I've been playing around with design for my first R/D bow. Don't know much about these. I do have a kennym from the bow swap a few years back. What I've come up with is very similar to Kenny's but not close enough to call it such. Don't want to build a bow, call it a kennym and have it damage his reputation! :eek:
I'm trying to understand sixbys critique of the top and middle bows but am still uncertain.
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As far as Kenny's reputation is concerned, your too late for that. :laughing: :laughing:
I may not understand the critique but have read enough of Sixby's post through the years to greatly respect his opinion, and Kennys for that matter. Hopefully tonight I will have time to get out in the garage and work on it more.
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Completely agree with your assessment of sixbys opinions. Just didn't understand the why of it.
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I like the middle bow too, but would increase the reflex so the nocks are an inch toward target in front of riser back . Gets some preload , quieter and a bit faster too.
And lay off my reputation , you're liable to give me one! :laughing:
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I would also go with the middle one and the more reflex.
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Okay I have pulled out the form that the middle bow was made on, now I'm working on increasing the reflex. How much or how far beyond the riser?
(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/0189F0B5-AEF8-435D-B9D9-CDB62C28F812_zpsus9vjlok.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/0189F0B5-AEF8-435D-B9D9-CDB62C28F812_zpsus9vjlok.jpg.html)
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Don't worry; the dog won't attach.
(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/60A8AE26-CA4C-413C-8B82-23B29483E1E3_zpspjsrc8zs.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/60A8AE26-CA4C-413C-8B82-23B29483E1E3_zpspjsrc8zs.jpg.html)
How far to reflex??
(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/F110F523-BDED-4F55-A226-607D2538277C_zpsudsucikf.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/F110F523-BDED-4F55-A226-607D2538277C_zpsudsucikf.jpg.html)
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So if I put a string on my unstrung bow backwards (without bending) it should come across the riser back with about an inch of clearance (Kenny M. suggestion)? Any other thoughts, what would you suggest, or how far would you reflex near tips?
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Tony I just noticed that in your pictures you had different bends on the aluminum in each picture. I don't know if everyone else noticed that but I have to spend some time reviewing the pictures and profiles again to see what you had there. I'll get back with you later today. A little change can make a big difference I've found out with my longbow design. I had a flat spot mid limb that made the brace profile look weird so I changed it by rounding it out about 3/16". This raised the stored energy but lowered the efficiency. I'm right in the middle of building a new bow with the new limb so I'm anxious to see how it turns out with a higher draw weight.
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Thanks BenBow, I don't think I made that clear enough early on. The two top bows were only past builds for reference, I was making small changes to the bottom piece of aluminum hoping for suggestions on which way to adjust things.
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Tony, I saw that, but they had the tips too far forward to suit me, built 2 like that with nocks 4" ahead of riser, you had to be on your A game to shoot em accurately. I'm not always(usually) on my A game! LOL
So I went with 2nd completed bow with a reflex adjustment.
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Thanks guys. I am just trying to figure out what most prefer when it comes to the amount of reflex or how far forward to go. I know opinions will vary, I just rather learn from asking than from making mistakes, that cost too much!
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Personally I think lots of reflex is overrated. It can make a bow more touchy to shoot, and my shooting usually sucks anyway.
I like 1" or so reflex, maybe 2". But I'm also building with wood, so large reflex is generally not realistic.
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follow the curvature of the top bow off of the riser to about three inches past the fades and then flatten it out a bit like the middle bow is and then about eight inches or so from the tip bring it up so that your notch point is about an inch higher than the second bow is now.
God bless and good luck , Steve
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Thanks guys. I read your input early this morning Sixby before enough coffee and couldn't wrap mine mind around it, finally coming to me now.
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Hoping to save time and work I went forward with dropping or reflexing the tips another 1 1/2" leaving everything else the same. Would appreciate some thoughts on it. Too much, need to change something, deeper with riser, less or more....??
Looking closely you will see the last bow laying on top of the form, you will also see the lines from 60-66" to the tips. The bow laying on it is 64" overall, 62" to the string groves.
Just an honest opinion on how you think it would perform and why if you want. Thanks again.
(http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad238/tcj59/ShadowCarp/A67E18F8-8622-4C64-B59E-A7B37C04A515_zpsoiy9outr.jpg) (http://s939.photobucket.com/user/tcj59/media/ShadowCarp/A67E18F8-8622-4C64-B59E-A7B37C04A515_zpsoiy9outr.jpg.html)
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Looks good to me, only thing I'd change is thin the riser fades a bit more to let them work, makes it easier on the limb just off fades.
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Good eyes for an old man! :thumbsup: Thanks Kenny.
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Old man!! You have me cornfused wif Roy! :laughing:
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I just read this thread. My thought was I like the middle bow but would move the handle back to the shooter an inch. In other words take an inch of the forward handle away. The would in essence, be doing the same thing as your doing. You would be moving the tips an inch further in front of the riser, adding reflex.
My thought is with a 62-64" bow you don't need the riser that far forward. Forward handle bows look better to my eye on shorter bows. In my experience forward handled longer bows are noisier.
Hope you have fun. Your hunting partner is lucky. :)
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I appreciate that Chad, that would have been easier, but did you have to wait until I took a saw to the end! :knothead: Just kidding, I appreciate the input. I have shot one of your bows and was very impressed with it. I have only built two bows on this form and if you enlarge the picture you can see on the right where not covered that before the last bow I have already raised the riser some. There is nearly an inch of filler boards under the center. But you are correct, more would have brought the tips forward of it more. So at this point I guess I'm asking should I go forward, make other adjustments, or build a whole new form?
No use taking shots at Roy there Kenny, he is sleeping through this one. I done threw one at him earlier and he missed it.
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Chad: Agree and that is what I said except I was doing it with the limbs and you with the riser. Exactly the same result and the bow profile would be identical.
The forms I see are not close to that profile though. It needs to have lesser reflex toward the tips until about seven or so inches from the tips. I may be wrong but the way to find out if you like that is to build it. I believe you are trying to retain the profile or close to the profile of your aluminum that you showed. I still go with the middle bow as a better profile. JMHO
God bless, Steve
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Steve got it I think. What happened to me once by accident was on the very end of the form about 4 in. back from where the string groove would be I built in a bit of up tweak I will call it ;) Had a noticeable little lever right in the tip. Sure never had to worry about putting tip wedges in that one.
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Mike, I would call that a geometric static. :archer:
God bless, Steve