Over built hickory

[Lee Lobbestael]

Hey guys i'm looking to make an overbuilt hickory self bow for a good dependable back up bow. I want it 70" ntn and about 50#@27. I'm using a slight pyramid design 1 3/4" at the fades tapering to 1/2" at the tips. I usually just start taking off wood untill I reach the floor tillering stage but this sometimes seems to lead to problems. I want to draw out a side profile to start with so the limbs are bending fairly even before I start tillering. Does anyone know a good thickness for the fades, mid limb, and the tips to start with?

[bubby]

Lee I usually ruff out my pyramid board bows on a table saw, I'd start with the limbs 15/32" thick and you should still have plenty of wood, that's the starting measurements for thickness on my 68" red oak bows, 2" wide at the fades, so you should have plenty to work with on a hickory bow, Bub

[Lee Lobbestael]

Thanks Bub. Is that the thickness at the fades? if so do you taper it at all?

[dmc]

Hi Lee, check out this link I got earlier this week from a comment from Blackhawk. Good link with pics. The link is for osage, but maybe somethings there for you.

Dave

http://peteward.com/Articles/Ferret.osage.buildalong1.htm

[Pappy]

I usuall cut the limb thickness 5/8 to 1/2 for about that weight,mine are a little shorter ,about 66 most times, so you may want to go a little thicker. I tapper 1 3/4 at the fads to 3/8 at the tip and keep the limb thickness even all the way,that will get it close to floor tiller,then I let the tillering process tell me what else it needs.
   Pappy

[bubby]

Lee on a pyramid bow even thickness from end of fades to tip, then tiller from there, Bub

[Lee Lobbestael]

Thanks guys this helps alot

[George Tsoukalas]

I usually start at 3/4 to 7/8" for a thickness and then work it down. Of course, the finished dimensions are much less. Jawge