Dimensions needed for a light draw bow.

[dwardo]

Hi All,

My auntie want to get into archery and for me to maker her first bow.
Problem is what ever i seem to try and make ends up no lighter than about 35 lbs and i am looking at 20-25 ish.

Just seem to have my brain stuck and the bows that have come close feel very sluggy or get so thin the limbs are scarey and i want safe for my aunt. Have an ash stick thats about 68 long so what kind of width and length should i be starting off at?
I think half the problem is i dont know what a very light bow feels like in the hand or to shoot. Any pointers appreciated please.

[JonW]

I have not used Ash but when trying to make a lighter weight bow an ELB style or cross section works a little better for me. The limbs don't seem to get too thin that way.

[scp]

There must be many ways to make a bow light in draw weight, without making the limbs too thin. But I would try a deflex bow design first.

[bubby]

had to build one for my wife like that, around 26# @ 25", 65"ntn, 1 1/4" at the handle straight taper to 3/4" tip's, about 3/8" thick all the way,bendy handle na style from a hickory board, shoot's good for a long light # bow, she killed with it at a 3d shoot, Bub

[coaster500]

I've yet to use hickory but bubby's built a lot of bows

I haven't done it yet but I was thinking the same thing for the daughter of one of my coworkers. I looked at my rack and the idea that hackberry had more mass per pound of draw weight than any other bow I have built (plus I've got some). I think you could tie a dry piece into a knot and its light physical weight would give me some extra speed from a light draw weight ?? I also thought that the light draw weight would help to negate some of the set hackberry seems to take ??

I don't know what it will come out like but I am going to try and build a 60" 25@25 .... 1 1/2 at the fade, toasted, we will see???

I made a bow for my wife a while back out of Yew...  64" 25@26 1 1/2 at the fade 1 1/8 mid limb Hill style non  bending grip...

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,30008.0.html

[bubby]

coaster if you want a little more performance and a nice profile on a youth bow try a deflex/reflex like this one i got from halfeye, really nice shooter, Bub

[dwardo]

Thanks for the input all.

I tried a shorter bow at about 60 n a bit but it just wanted to be too heavy. String angle making it feel harder to draw i think.
I went for a longer ash stave at 66 or so stiff handle very thin tips which have a tiny bit of reflex at the tips. cant be more than 1.5 inch at the fades. Seems to shoot pretty quick but with my lightest arrow being about spine 40lbs its hard to judge.
Just need my aunt to pop round and draw if a few times to see if its ok for her. Dont want to make something too heavy that she doesnt pick up form but not too light as to have a lob trajectory.

I remember tha bow coaster very nice

Who would have thought it would be this hard to make a light bow...

[bubby]

[

Who would have thought it would be this hard to make a light bow...
[/quote]

anyone who's made a kid's bow Dwardo , Bub

[JW_Halverson]

I've successfully lightened a bow that was finished...ONCE.  I usually end up screwing up the tiller.  But in the one case I was afraid the limbs would be too thin, so I narrowed and thinned simultaneously.  Worked pretty good.

[coaster500]

halfeye builds a sweet bow!!!!

[bubby]

halfeye builds a sweet bow!!!!

yeah you don't know how sweet till you get one in your grubby little hands , Bub