Question on Molly handle layout???

[StickMan47]

After the big Molly craze this past summer and fall, I'm bringing up the rear with an attempt of my own. This is one of my favorite designs and I gotta give it a try.

So on the handle, do I need to make the center of the bow be in the center of the handle, or do I go up 1" and down 3" like people do on some pyramids?

Some stats just in case it matters: Osage 58" long. No knots but just a bit of twist on one end. Going for 50# at 28". Stave is about 3 years dry. I finished up chasing the ring this evening and plan on roughing it out tomorrow. Gonna try and use dry heat after roughing it out to remove the twist from the bottom limb. I'm going a 50/50 ratio on limbs.

[SLIMBOB]

I think your too short.  I've made one so I'm no expert, but 58 inches, 28" draw with 50/50 is I think, too much to ask.

Just measured mine to make sure and it's 64 inches long, 27 inch draw 50/50.  50ish lbs.  Just short of 2 inches wide at the fade and I think I got all of it.

[StickMan47]

Thanks for the info SB. I found a build-a-long done by Half Eye on here from back in 2010. That's where I got most of my dimensions from. From that b.a.l. I gathered 58" would work. I could get by with 26" on my draw but really wanna stay close to the 50# mark.

this is the build a long I was following:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,17521.0.html

[SLIMBOB]

I used his build along as well.  Good stuff for sure.  I also consulted a few others on here at the time and kind of melded it all together.  See if some others disagree with me and say otherwise.  I centered the handle by the way.

[StickMan47]

I'll definitely see what the experts say Slimbob. I think I'll post up a pick of the stave after I rough it out tomorrow too, there may be a better bow in it that I'm not seeing. Thanks for the handle answer. I'm gonna rough it out with a center handle and check back in and see what the others say. Thanks

[blackhawk]

Make it bend slightly in the handle....go 40/60 ratio of lever to working limb...make all transtions smooth n blended with well rounded edges n corners...don't ask why and just make it so ....here's a good reference of what to look at by what I mean....the epitome and culmination(for a short bendy molly) of a few years making oodles of lever bows

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,42911.0.html

[StickMan47]

Blackhawk, your bow is amazing and man this build just went from (in my mind) easy to darn near impossible, lol. I'll post up some pics later on today. The stave I have has some crown in it too, maybe not quite as much as your's tho.

Thanks for the advice.

[Eric Garza]

I think 28 inches is do-able from a 58 inch bow as long as it bends through the handle. You might consider shooting for a paddle bow that has the widest sections of the paddles nearer the handle, rather than at mid-limb as is typical for paddle bows. Call it a paddlegabet bow, a melding of the rounded limb outline common to paddle bows while keeping the bending portion of limbs nearer the handle as with mollegabet designs. You might also consider backing it with a very thin layer of rawhide just as insurance, if you have some.

[SLIMBOB]

Well there you go Stickman.  I said earlier in this thread that I've made one Molly.  It was Blackhawk that I consulted on it.  His advice was spot on for me.

[Bow-dark<>bow-ya]

I have been building bows for awhile but this will be my first post. I have just been a ghost on here and finally got a account. I have built a quite a few of these mollies and I think a 58" Mollie that is 50# @ 28 (even more lbs in my opinion) could easily be made. I have seen people make 48" mollies that are 40/60 lever to working limb out of osage backed with rawhide. So it definitely possible but if you go super short I would recommend a backing of rawhide probably or sinew. It is just a little short but if you don't completely jack up the tiller it will hold up fine.