Are there any Hill style bows cut to center? If not who makes the closest and how far off? Or am I putting to much thought into this? Thanks
Big Rivers are closer to center than any other Hill style that I have had. I am not sure that getting inside of 1/8" is going to help with hunting accuracy, unless you like to shoot with the bow more vertical. I padded mine out to match my other bows. If you are referring to a center shot so that it would be easier to tune carbons to it may be something to consider. Part of that Hill thing is to shoot arrows that are not extra long, I think that is why so many Hill shooters prefer wood. Myself, I have had good luck with tapered carbons that are my standard length. I also have found that the narrow aluminum arrows have advantages over the thin walled wide sizes with Hill style bows, as in 1818,1918, and 1920s. I still prefer wood and have no trouble getting arrows that are cut so I tag my finger with the broadhead when coming to full draw to fly perfect and group as tight as anything else. The trick is no trick, just get the right spine and good hand picked shafts.
Is there a reason you are looking for one that is cut to center becaused if your arrows are spined properly they will fly like darts out of a ASL bow,just wondering.
Dan Toelke's "Super D" is cut to within 1/8" of center if memory serves and visually that's what mine appear to be. I highly recommend them but you can certainly get properly spined arrows to fly fine out of bows cut further from center.
I have a dual shelf bow that I got as a blank...I am at best a lazy woodworker so the shelves are cut in very little...the arrow kind of points somewhere out in the next county...it is tougher to get just the right arrow with that bow but I have done it with both carbon and wood...the answer for you is simple...if you want a bow that is cut closer to center get something other than a Hill style
DDave
Usally bows with a smaller riser like a Hill style don't have a riser cut to center for strength.Unless it is made out of a phonelic or a micarta.With a Hill I think spine is more critical then with a bow cut to center or past.Like on a selfbow I had with no shelf at all I tuned with a weaker spined arrows and shot right where I was looking.I shoot my Hill's and then can go to my recurves with properly spined arrows.Though I have tuned carbon arrows for my Hill I prefer to shoot aluminum or wood out of them.
JD Berry cuts his to 1/8" shy of center
though it can, and has been done, there is no need or benefits gained for a center cut afl (american flat longbow). cutting the shelf to 1/8" or a very proud 1/16" at best is the norm.
It all depends on the facts. A few are, how wide do you want the handle, shelf cut, how hard is the riser wood or is the riser wood to hard (shear). This is one of the things you learn over the years. Just the facts. ..OE
Talking to Craig once about light weight longbows and the catch 22 with shorter draws and arrow spines, I said if they were more center shot, it would be easier to get reasonable wood shafts for them, instead of 20 pound noodles. He said it is out that far to prevent the glass from cracking at the corner of the sight window on longbows. James has a couple of bleed out lams to support the center of the bow, I imagine, a back cap like the Bear recurves could do that as well. When I had the bows that were more center shot, it tended to put the arrow offline from I got used to, but I could shoot stiffer shafts out of them.
It can be done but it changes the defination of "Hill Style". I would want to make the grip a bit wider with a phenolic accent. We would also be using a tough, strong wood for the riser. If you want a locator grip I would want to make the entire grip deeper from back to belly than is my norm. All this also depends on the weight you want and drawlength. What we can't have is a bend through the middle bow with just a little bit of glass holding the entire bow together at the window shelf.
I spoke to Dave Miller about this a few years ago, he made comments similar to those already posted. With so little material in the riser cutting too close to centre risks poor string alignment owing to the bow jackknifing in the direction of the sight window. Overall integrity is compromised as well.
My Toelke Super D is cut to center. Damn fine bow.