Deciding which limb is the lower

[Dano]

While at Cloverdale last month, I had a chance to visit with Gary Davis. During our visit a gentleman that was interested in building bows asked this question "how do you determine which limb will be the lower limb"? Gary proceeded to explain his procedure, During a bows first short stringing Gary uses a 1" brace height to see where the string lines up in the handle, an 1/8" either way from center will determine the lower and upper limbs. Any more than 1/8" you'll need to make some corrections. The key to his procedure is, most of us brace a bow to 3-5" and look down the length of the bow to see where the string lies, this is very inaccurate if you think about it, at a 1" brace even a semi bind man like myself can see where it lies. Gary and I thought this info should be shared, since Gary is puterhandicapted I volunteered. I hope I explained it well enough to understand.

[adb]

I choose my bottom limb during tillering, and usually more towards final tiller. That's on a bow with equal length limbs, of course.
Some of my bows have bottom/top limbs predetermined from the start.

[cowboy]

Makes sense to me, I'll keep that in mind.

[Dano]

I should have added that this is only a method to help see where the string lies in the handle, not the sole reason for determining which limb is which.

[George Tsoukalas]

That's interesting.  I'm happy if the string  is close to center of handle. Sometimes I'm happy of the string is on the handle. LOL. But yes, the initial stringing at a very low brace is important just to see what's going on. For me the first brace with the short string is even less than an inch as measured from the belly of the handle. I  have to admit that on my last 2 bows, even though the string bisected the handle, I made the decision on the lower limb. Couldn't tune them. I had to turn the bow around and switch upper and lower. If it's off to left of center the upper limb becomes the lower one. Easier on the forearm. Wood has mind of its own. I learned that quickly enough and stopped fighting it. LOL. Jawge

[Grunt]

I usually make bows with both limbs the same length, not always, but usually. I determine the upper and lower limbs after shooting in the bow off the knuckle a bit.  I put the strung bow in my vise and measure in 16 inches from each end and put a chalk mark on the belly. I measure up to the string from each chalk mark and the longest distance is the top limb. I'll go out and shoot it a little more to make sure it feels right and then make the arrow rest and handle. Most string hights seem to be within a eighth of an inch of each other. Sometimes the string hight changes a little after the bow is strung for a few hours or when it is shot in. The closer I am to finishing a bow the slower I go. Have fun.

[sami bow]

I build my bows with the lower limb shorter so the bow will balance in my hand.  On osage I usually use what was the lower part of the tree for the lower limb,due to the growth rings usually being a little thicker, Have had good luck with this method for years. I correct for centering the string by heat bending and tillering. I do not live in Osage country, however so i have to make the best out of any stave I get, and usually do a lot of heat correcting while building.

[yazoo]

I to use the root end  of a stave for the lower limb, typically it has  thicker rings and can handle the stress of being shorter a little better then the top end of a stave,