HEED MY WARNING!!!

[criveraville]

Ouch!!  That had to turt :embarassed:

Cipriano

[footfootfoot]

Here's a newbie question that I am sure has been discussed already so I will search for it in the meantime, How is full draw determined?
Do you decide, "OK I want this to be 45# @ 28"" and then tiller it until you hit the number you want, or do you make the bow and then see how far you can pull it before it starts making scary noises, then stop. (akin to my mechanic buddy's advice on torque; 'tighten it until it strips, then back off a hair."

I'm not quite clear on how over drawing a bow will break it, or in other words how one can determine ahead of time the point of failure.

Does my question make sense?

[hayawatha]

that's a great rule, I have a 23 inch draw length so i will keep that in consideration.

[SA]

footfoot, i see what your saying i have bow (a boo backed one in particular ) that i made for my 26 inch draw at 45# and feel confident that someone with a 28" draw can pull it to there draw making it a 50+ at 28" without any trouble.
but i also have some shorter bows that i would not feel comfortable drawing much if any past the pre determined draw. they say half your bows length is you max draw length, maybe on longer bows it not as much of an issue?  i think the big problem is when someone with a 28" draw yanks on a 26" draw  bow past their ear (witch would make it a 30+ draw) can cause some problems like boom. i hope this make sense its the only way i can think to explain it, maybe someone else can chime in.

[soy]

Foot x 3 you design your bow around your stats...per your example 45#@28" you would plan your layout @2 x draw that being 56" in this case for working limb .if it is drawn to 30the plus mark it may over stress the wood witch might = boom...achieving weight is simple on theory start at say 15" get it bending to 45# and keep removing wood slowly toward your target 28"  @ 45# in 1-2" steps not exceeding 45#...hope I did not leed you wrong

[footfootfoot]

Sa and Soy,
Thanks. Both of those answers make a lot of sense.

[David_Daugherty]

The same thing happend to me with my first bow.  Now it rests on my wall with sinew wrapped around it as a reminder NOT TO LET ANYONE DRAW MY BOW!

[mikekeswick]

Don't you just want to scream when this happens.....It's happened to me once and it WILL NEVER happen again. The string idea is excellent and I may well use it when at shows etc

[sleek]

I had a guy at a tulsa gun show do it to my best and fastest bow. I told him 24 inches, and he took it to about 28, maybe just shy. My heart stoped, stomach lept, eyes dialated, and I cringed and ducked a little. He let off before I could say anything and looke at me kinda clueless, " was that too far? " I think the bow took an extra inch of set, and that is all, but it still holds 2 inches of reflex at the tips, so its still a bow. But the fps did drop a few. Love the string idea and will always use it from now on.

PS, I think I may have aged an entire year in the second it took him to yank that bow back. Wow the instant stress...

[Del the cat]

Blimey, reading these makes me think I've been rather lucky.
Although, many many I did have a guy flex a laminated f/glass and rock maple crossbow prod the wrong way! (Arrrhhhgggg) 
Del