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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: 10point on June 12, 2015, 06:05:00 PM

Title: losing power
Post by: 10point on June 12, 2015, 06:05:00 PM
Recently purchased a 56" take down static recurve and checked draw weight at just over 47.5# @ 28". Rechecked today and it is now just over 45.5#. Is it normal to lose poundage ??? My draw is about 27.5" and I'm wondering if this is too much for a 56" bow.
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: monterey on June 12, 2015, 06:11:00 PM
How old is the bow?

Did it ever weigh in as marked?

Is your scale reliable?

Is it a glass lam or wood bow?

I have glass lam bows that have lost draw weight over quite a few years.
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: Stump73 on June 12, 2015, 06:23:00 PM
Did you use the same scale, both when you got it and now? Has it been strung up the whole time? Sometimes you we loose a pound or 2 if you keep it strung up.
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: on June 12, 2015, 06:25:00 PM
A buddy of mine did not like to unload his bow, after a year or so, he needed a new string.  It was less pounds and at first it looked like it had set a bit compared to mine.  A couple days later it lined up with mine, but we did not bother to weigh it again.
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: rscornutt on June 12, 2015, 09:51:00 PM
Has it been left strung for any amount of time?
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: Orion on June 12, 2015, 09:56:00 PM
A self-bow may loose some weight if kept strung, but not a glass laminated bow. Your brace height probably dropped.

A change in temperature and relative humidity can affect bow weight a little, as well as the scale's functioning. You may have just read the scale a little differently. A 27 1/2-inch draw on a 56-inch recurve or hybrid is not over stressing the limbs.  May start to stress a straight limb bow a little, but again, wouldn't affect the poundage unless it's a self bow.  

Regardless, not something to worry about IMO.
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: fnshtr on June 12, 2015, 10:49:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Orion:
A self-bow may loose some weight if kept strung, but not a glass laminated bow. Your brace height probably dropped.

A change in temperature and relative humidity can affect bow weight a little, as well as the scale's functioning. You may have just read the scale a little differently. A 27 1/2-inch draw on a 56-inch recurve or hybrid is not over stressing the limbs.  May start to stress a straight limb bow a little, but again, wouldn't affect the poundage unless it's a self bow.  

Regardless, not something to worry about IMO.
Bingo!!
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: on June 12, 2015, 11:28:00 PM
Newer bows not so much, but older bows like our old Bears, it did.  If this static recurve is quite new, I would question the scale being currently used or the one that originally weighed the bow.  I have a Hill in my collection, now being used by someone else that was left loaded for a long period that dropped a couple of pounds and took a set.  Some self bows  can take a temporary set and then come back to normal after a while.  I have seen thick cored longbows with elm cores take a bit of set even when they were unstrung every week or so.
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: 10point on June 13, 2015, 06:17:00 PM
I used the same scale for all readings. the bow is 4 months old. It did measure as marked when new and it is a glass laminate bow.
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: on June 13, 2015, 08:20:00 PM
If left unloaded for a few days, does the poundage come back and is the brace height consistent?
Title: Re: losing power
Post by: fnshtr on June 13, 2015, 09:58:00 PM
Did you check the brace height both times?