Over Built Bow

[PEARL DRUMS]

I would have never thought that bow would have shot that fast by looking at it.  Not overbuilt but not underbuilt either.  It's just right

Exactly my thoughts. I myself wouldn't classify that as over built, but you are going mostly by physical weight Id assume. I call yours the perfect way to build an osage hunting bow!

[Badger]

  Pearl, the strategy was the same as most all my osage bows, I put them on the cawl heat in about 3" reflex, if they keep most of that I might add some flipped tips. This one just kept a bit more than the rest of them.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Them tips really come around. Must have killer early tension.

[Badger]

  It does have high early tension, it didn't do so well with the light flight arrows as it did the broadhead. Kind of typical for a high energy storing bow.

[chamookman]

The unbraced profile tells Me a lot - VERY nice ! Bob

[Will H]

That is one awesome bow! What an accomplishment! Thank you for sharing that one Steve!

[burn em up chuck]

  very very cool, beautify

                    chuck

[missilemaster]

Not too shabby Steve!

[Pat B.]

A super accomplishment, 190 with a wood bow is nothing short of astounding..

From what little I know it doesn't sound "overbuilt".  Sounds like every sliver of wood that needs to be there is and ever sliver that needed to come off did !  Perfect..

[Marc St Louis]

I've made bows with a similar profile Steve, maybe not quite as much reflex in the tips.  They performed quite well but I don't think they had 190 in them.  Have you tried replicating it to see if the design is consistent in performance?

[Badger]

     Whenever I hear a real high report of speed I tend to doubt the validity of the test. I will do a machine shot test on the bow for a more accurate speed rating. 190 really is pushing the limits for a self bow. I get real excited when I see these good numbers. I know the bow is fast but I really owe it to myself and everyone else to make sure it is accurate. I just noticed some writing on the bow where it is marked as 50#@27 3/4". I tested it at 28". And I just now re weighed the bow at a crefully measured 28" and I am at 52 1/4#. So the arrow should have been about 22 grains heavier taking the speed down about 3 or 4 fps. The range of the shots were 188 to 191 so the bow will probably test out on the maching around 184 which still matches my best for self bow. Will run a careful accurate test today or tomorrow.

[Marc St Louis]

You misunderstood my question Steve, I was not doubting your results.  I wanted to know if you've tried making another bow exactly like this one to see if the results were unique to this bow or the design

[Badger]

  Mark, when I made that reply we were posting at about the same time, I didn't even see the response you had. Tim Baker and I joke about the "other paradox" which happens when a bowyer gets excited, always good to go back and double check. After adjusting arrow weight today I am getting 184 to 186, still my best. I shot a hole through my brand new chrono so no machine test today.

   As for will I build another one like this, funny answer here, I start most all of them out the same, I put about 3" reflex and get the center limb working to take them to brace. If the bow allows me to continue just working the mid limb and leave the fades stiff I will continue as far as I can like that. If I feel a tiny weight loss I start getting the inner limb bending more. This particular piece of wood allowed me to just tiller the inner limb, when I got all done it had taken no set so it allowed me to reflex the tips back a bit more. So the answer is if I find another piece of wood like this and am being careful enough to recognize what I have I might repeat this.

   I am convinced that your deflex designs put less stress on the wood from the beginning and are more consistent. 

[Marc St Louis]

Well I may try it with some HHB when I catch up on my house renos.

[Badger]

  I think I will try the same style with a boo backed osage and see how it does.