Caul/tip recurve shape?

[RedBear1313]

Hey guys, just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the amount of/length/specific angle of recurve for tips are good.

I'm wanting to make myself a jig so I can easily repeat it and be consistent.

does any one have any ideas/thoughts, or better yet, does any one have any drawn out plans I could print off and trace onto a board?

Thanks for ideas and help.

[PatM]

You'll get a dozen different answers. Just trace a circle that appeals to you.

[SLIMBOB]

Agree with patm. Any circle of appropriate size will work. Try a plate, platter, saucer, bucket top or bottom, until you have the shape you want.

[Badger]

  You will probably end up using a lot of various recurves on different bows.

[Pat B]

I've used pint and gallon paint cans, 5 gallon plastic buckets and just drew out a curve. The length of the recurved tip is about 6" to 7" long.

[Pat B.]

Pat, did the different radius seem to make a difference in the performance of the bows..?

[Pat B]

Pat, theoretically the length and radius of recurved tips would make a difference. I don't really measure performance in my bows other than to see how a bow shoots. Doing things to a bow to add performance, like adding recurves, can easily over strain a wood bow enough to detract from that performance. I think the actual bowyer would have a more positive affect on performance than adding recurves in general.

[Badger]

  I agree with Pat, its the whole package that makes a bow. Main thing is you don't want it over strained or too bulky in the tips. Big recurves can be challenging to keep from twisting. You see guys getting good performance from all kinds of designs.

[Pat B.]

A wonderful example, Steve, is your overbuilt that shoots 190ish...  That's just awesome.

There's seems to be an incredible amout that goes into the various designs that makes them successful..  You guys that have mastered the art are truly dedicated..

[Marc St Louis]

I have made them with big recurves and small, small is what I now make.  As Steve says, large recurves are more challenging to make because of their tendency to twist the limbs so you need near perfect string tracking on those.  The large recurves do tend to look a bit better, up to a certain point.

As to performance.  I have tested both extensively and would tend to say that it is easier to get high performance out of the smaller radius recurve because there is less mass outboard of the limbs to contend with.  This reduced mass comes from 2 different sources.  One because they are physically smaller but also because the smaller recurve can be made a bit thinner due to their being shorter from the apex of the bend to the tip and consequently putting less strain on the recurve itself.