Short, sharp recurves

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Now I know why I don't see many people trying those little 90 degree recurves. They are a pain in the nether region to get aligned properly so they don't twist when drawn. It might be the fact that I attempted with as piece of Osage that twisted, curved and had a couple holes and knots. Had it back to 20" before the 1/4" of miss alignment made the string slide off. I'm going to give it one more shot before I think I'll cut them off and go for flipped tips instead so I can finish up and get it to the guy that's been waiting. But on the plus side it has taken zero set at this point, retaining the 3" or reflex the recurves gave it. And when shot at 20" is pretty quick with an 800 gr arrow. Any one have any advice before the Osage loses its horns?

Thanks
Kyle

[rossfactor]

When I'm doing short, sharp bends, I first try to get alignment as perfect as possible before I make my recurves. I also leave my tips as wide as possible before I steam/boil em in. That way you can game a little bit one way or the other to help with alignment issues. I also tend to grove the belly of the recurve along the string path, but you shouldn't rely on that to maintain alignment.

Gabe

[mikekeswick]

I've made a jig to hold the tip stationary (can't uncurl!) whilst heating them to 're-set' the tip in a straight position.
It's like a box but with only a bottom and two sides. The bottom piece is made so it can be clamped in my vice. Various shims and clamps to hold the bow solid with the tip supported against the back side of the box. Then heat for 10 minutes with the heat gun (foil over the top to keep heat in) and then clamp in the appropriate position until cool. 

And before you start do everything above in Gabe's post!

[wizardgoat]

What the other guys said, but also, I only use a near flawless stave for a sharp recurve, and I bend the curves after full brace and even beyond.

[PEARL DRUMS]

A 1/4" wont make your string slide off. If you had it back to 20" you have it whipped. Something else is the culprit here. Be sure your string grooves are plenty deep enough, be sure the side to side thickness is nutz and be sure your grip is in line with your limbs. Meaning when you grip the bow the belly of the limbs is dead flat towards you and not rocked off left or right.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

When I get off work and get home I'll look over it to be sure everything is good and flat. I wish I would have left the nocks wider but I wasn't initially planning on this bow to be a recurve. I was just going to flip the tips but decided to push it and see how extreme I could go. After I already had the tips down to 1/2". So there is not much there to work with. This morning I got the hooks on the same plane as good as my eyes can tell but one limb is off center about 3/16-1/4". I'm going to try heating and pushing it over. Right now the string lies along the edge of the limb, just inside enogh to hold it. When pushed over it should be centered up nicely and the hooks sitting squarely with the limbs. At that point I'm hoping the string will stay on. Before one limb was a little off center and as I draw the recurve would turn a little bit. The other stayed square. If I had the limbs wider it probably wouldn't be an issue but I started too narrow and now have to deal with the consequences. I can get some good pics of what I'm working with when I get home tonight.

Kyle

[Prarie Bowyer]

I've had good luck with splicing them in.  Bending them in maple then "v" splicing them with woods that don't steam well.

[mikekeswick]

It'll be fine just keep tweaking it sideways to get perfect string alignment. I don't cut string grooves until the bow is behaving itself - basically so i'm not relying on them to 'hold onto' the string at all. Also if you cut string grooves and everything isn't aligned first then you'll get very annoying clicking noises as the string goes in and out of the grooves under tension.

[crooketarrow]

 Here's a trick I was showen a long time ago. Before you do any bending make sure the tips line up with the handle. Then cut in the knocks but leave the sides knocks where the string go's a little thick. If your bend is a little off you can cut in the oppsite side of your knock in a little deeper.
  Most bends are you'll close so it you can move the string a small amount one way or another. You can fix it.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Here's what I'm playing with. I'm working on moving the nock in the picture over a little and see if that helps.  When I get it lined up I'm going to cut a belly strip to glue on so I can flatten the belly out so the string will stay on and give me more material to cut a groove into. In addition to prettying it up. I think I'll spend today before work getting it lined up. Once it's lined up properly it shouldn't take much to get the tillering finished out. So what do you think?

Kyle

[bubby]

Instead of a belly lam you could add string bridges with string bridges just cut the nock in the top of the overlay and you should be good

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I'm liking th sound of the string bridge. Sounds simpler to make fit. I got the recurve alignment good this morning, then got distracted by a friend till I had to go to work before I could do any tiller work.  But we found this little guy along with a couple of ring necks and a midland brown.

Kyle

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I have never messed with string bridges so I have no idea of exactly where I should put them. Where would you all suggest?