rebuilding a bow

[wasanchez]

Right now I have a bundle of cane arrow shafts drying and an osage stave clamped to a 2x4 also drying.  So I am anxious for a project.  A while back I built my first bow and it was way under weight.  It is a cedar longbow around 71 inches tip to tip and about 30-35# at 26.  I am thinking about cutting it down to 60 inches and making a short bow with a heavier weight more in the 50# range hopefully.  Is this a good idea and is there a best way to go about doing this?  I am new to all this and I have done a lot of reading on this site so I know there are plenty of people with knowledge that they enjoy sharing.

Walt

[Dauntless]

You could leave your first project in peace and go to town on a board bow. Piking a bow 11" is risky business, especially with a cedar (what kind?).

[Del the cat]

You can trust us or learn the hard way.
... The hard way is a better teacher, and we may be wrong when we suggest you won't claw back that much draw weight.
Try it by all means, but only if you are willing to sacrifice the bow.
It's good to push the boundaries and try it yourself.
Heck, just go for it and post the pics!
Del

[bubby]

what kinda ceader is it, to most i think their first bow that survives is special, but if you have no attachment to it go for it, although i wouldn't pike it any shorter than 66", that should raise it close to 40-45# if you get 2# an inch,Bub

[wasanchez]

Thanks.  That is why I asked because I would rather not destroy it.  Its not pretty by any means but I would like to keep it around.  I don't know what kind of cedar it is I used one of the many fence post we have stacked up.  Thanks again for the help.

Walt

[wasanchez]

And why no shorter than 66?  What does cutting it down do to the integrity of the bow?

Walt

[bubby]

it's just that eastern red cedar has a habit of exploding without warning, just thinking of not adding any excess or overstress of the bow, Bub

[DarkSoul]

I'm not going to comment on how short you can make this bow.
- You don't know the wood species (there's at least ten completely different species of 'cedar').
- You don't know the exact drawweight.
- We don't know what the tiller looks like.
- We don't know the design (width).
- We don't know if it's backed, or what the back looks like.

Just too many variables into play to tell you how much (if any) you can shorten this bow.

[mikekeswick]

I'm not going to comment on how short you can make this bow.
- You don't know the wood species (there's at least ten completely different species of 'cedar').
- You don't know the exact drawweight.
- We don't know what the tiller looks like.
- We don't know the design (width).
- We don't know if it's backed, or what the back looks lik

Just too many variables into play to tell you how much (if any) you can shorten this bow.

Yes thats good advice.
I would add that if you backed it with rawhide or sinew it wouldn't explode and you could experiment without fear of ending up with just splinters!

[wasanchez]

Thanks everybody I think I'm gonna let it be.  Like I said before its not pretty but it is my first bow so I don't want to destroy it.

Walt

[George Tsoukalas]

Leave it. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

I got distracted. Let me explain. It's your first and you probably will destroy it. I still have my first one. Roughly you'll get 5# for every inch you take off each end. I've never been a fan of piking though I've done it a few times. Whatever you gain in weight you'll add additional set with probably not much gain in cast.  That's if your lucky and she doesn't pop on you. Jawge