Bow lost draw weigth

[Jjpso]

Hello guys.
First congratulations everyone for all the great wok You do, and also for this great forum - even tough i dont participante much, i come here in a daily basis.

I started last year to try to build some bows and after a couple of board ones, i tried a oak stave from a tree i cut in a family property.

It has a pyramid profile 2" at fades, 0,5" at tip and 65,5 tip to tip.

The wood behaved better than i expected, it ended up 51 pounds at 26", and the tiller, even if not perfect was not bad, ended up with 0,5" string follow after shoot an 0 after est.
But because i wanted a bit more draw weigth -and also because i am stupid- í steamed the handle region to put some deflex and hopefuly raise the draw weigth to 55#

I left it clamped  for 2 days but when i put the string again to see how it was, i realised the draw was only 38# at 26" and the limbs where working less near the fades and more in the obter third.

What harpejes?! Was it the moisture?!

Hope someone can help.

Best regards,

João pedro from portugal

[Blaflair2]

Putting deflex in the handle u essentially lessened the string tension. Reflex will be ur answer to raising the weight. If u reflex the tips u may get some weight. Also have u heat treated the belly? And PICS! They always help. How much deflex?

[alwayslookin]

Why did you put deflex  in it? The wood probably has moisture in it now I would let it sit for a while after steaming. Also oak responds well to heat treating so I would try that to raise the draw weight.

[Jjpso]

Thank you both.

Blafair: please correct me if i am wrong, but if i deflex the handle, arent the tips have to travel more for the same draw length, thus increasing the draw weigth?!
I already heat treated the belly when i started tillering.

Alwayslookin: i did it because i read in TBBII that doing this could increase draw weigth, performance and reduce string follow...

[jimmy]

Hello Jjpso.  I just wanted to say that I took a trip to Portugal last October.  What a pretty country!  The people were real nice too.  As far as the bowmaking, stick with it.  Find some other species of native wood and cut bow staves.  Experiment if you have to.

[Pat B]

Deflex, limbs bending toward the belly. Reflex, limbs bending towards the back.
Your stave may still have a bit of moisture in it from the steaming also.

[Jjpso]

Deflex, limbs bending toward the belly. Reflex, limbs bending towards the back.
Your stave may still have a bit of moisture in it from the steaming also.

Hello Pat B.
Thats exactly the notions i have
saying "deflex handle" is not acurate?
Do you think the moisture it may still have justifies that kind of weigth loss?

Jimmy: i am really glad that you liked my country, where in Portugal have you been?

[alwayslookin]

You need to reflex the handle that will up the draw weight. Oak is a good wood and you should definitely be able to get good results with heat treating the belly. I have yet to use steam to bend wood yet but hear you have to let it reach equilibrium again before bending. I would go ahead and reflex the handle heat treat the belly then let it sit for a week or two before pulling on it. I'm still née to the game so if I'm wrong on any of that somebody will chime in. Good luck brother!

[Blaflair2]

The travel less if u bend the handle the way the limbs bend. Reflexing it makes the limbs bend more at the same length. Which would have raised the weight. U could still probly heat treat once u let it stabilize and gain some weight

[bubby]

Are the tips foreward of the handle?

[Jjpso]

I did like this: i steamed the handle and 3 or 4 inches each side of the fades; i puted the bow in a working table, over 2 wood blocks separated by maybe 12 inches; i pressured the bow with a clamp, in the direction of the table.
I understand that doing this i am deflexing the handle, am i wrong? Wouldnt this raise the weigth, instead of droping it?!
I already heat treat it once, and did some string alignment corrections, dont know if i should heat treat again...
I believe it must have been the moisture from the steaming that is still in the wood, i cant find any other reason for the draw weigth loss...


Bubby, if i lay the bow over the back side, there is around 1/2" space...

[Blaflair2]

Yes u are wrong, deflexing will lower the weight.

[Jjpso]

Yes u are wrong, deflexing will lower the weight.

I am sorry because i am just starting, so i am sorry all my questions
Please confirm me, This that i did is deflexing the handle? How can this reduce the draw weigth, if i am putting tips and handle furder appart?! Doing this to the handle is not at the same time reflexing the tips?!

Again i am sorry for all this questions, i hope you have the patience...

[Del the cat]

You are just confusing yourself and everyone else...
You need to use the same words as the rest of us.
The side of the bow that faces the archer is the belly, the side that faces the target is the back.
If you seam bend the limbs so that they bend more towards the archer that is deflex and will lower draw weight, (but give more draw length)
If the limbs bend away from the archer then that's reflex and will increase draw weight.
You can't deflex or reflex a handle... only the limbs.
Steaming the handle and clamping it down is fine... but we don't know if the bow was clamped belly up or back up...! 
I think we are all a bit confused!
Del

[Jodocus]

Hi Jipso,

I think pictures would really help to overcome the confusion.

Deflex means the relaxed bow looks a bit as if it was already braced
Reflex means the relaxed bow looks as if it was strung the wrong way around.

(In fact you regularly see museums displaying reflex bow strung the wrong way...  )

Most european oaks are not good bowwood.