Draw length of selfbows?

[George Tsoukalas]

What a resource this site is! Look at the quality of the responses you got. I wish this site was around when I started clumsily trying to make bows years ago. Snag, for years I used the method Pappy used. Actually, it is Jim Hamm's method. Get the limbs moving and perfectly and then draw to your target weight or a little over as you tiller. The key here is make sure the limbs are bending well with no hinges or even weak spots or the stave will break. It's a good method and the easiest one for the beginner to use. There is another method and this is the one I use. I first saw it use on another site by (Jim in Oregon). I draw 26 inches. The bowyer keeps in mind that there is a rough increase of 3 lbs per inch of draw. I never pull the stave to target weight until I hit 25 inches. I won't even be near target weight until 22 inches and ease it right into target weight at 25 as I mentioned. Sometimes I stop there and get that extra inch as I shoot the bow in. I'll get that extra inch slowly. As I shoot I note to see that handle pressure is even indicating the limbs are tillered well and fairly evenly. I suggest you use Jim Hamm's method in the beginning. Much easier to use. Have fun and welcome to our ranks. Jawge

[crooketarrow]

  Use a scale on your tilling board.You just won't end up with a draw weight when your bows finished.
  As far as form go's you won't have the same form as you do with a compound,recurve as you will with a selfbow.Yor stance closes up.
  As you step down from compound to recurvw,longbow down to selfbows you will lose draw lenth with each with selfbows being the shortest.Each changing your form a little as you go down.

[snag]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate the responses. I have a stave (hopefully a bow) that is ready for the tillering tree (got ahead of myself, need to make the tree! haha). So this info. is going to make a big difference coming up.  I am trying to schedule some one on one time with a bowyer. But until then I am just trying to feel my way through this. Glad you guys are here.