questions about set

[PEARL DRUMS]

No doubt Brad. But it does read nice doesn't it.

[willie]

I guess its where a bow takes on a small, permanent curve along its whole length??

if this describes your set, then you are straining the limb equally all along its length. much better than set just at the tips or just at midlimb. (presuming the bows designed to bend that way).

I like to trace the back profile on a piece of paper before first brace, and once some set becomes apparent during the tillering process, make a comparison to the tracing to confirm the set is actually occurring in the limb where the design calls for the most strain

[Pat B]

That's smart Willie. 

[Badger]

  There are actually two types of set. I call them hard set and soft set. If you unstring a bow after shooting and see it has some set and give it a little push backward and it goes back to its shape that would be soft set. If you push it backward and nothing happens I call it hard set. Hard set is better than soft set. 2" of hard set is not bad. I prefer 0 follow but have seen some very good shooting bows with 2" of string follow.

[KS51]

I think there may be another kind of set, though it is not truly set like the other varieties spoken of.  On backed bows with glued in reflex, some of the reflex can be lost as belly wood is removed.  I think this is more a result of the bottom "beam" getting weaker and a new equilibrium point being reached versus actual change in the wood. (but I have not tested this and it couldmbe argued that the change in strain due to the change in strength is a change in the wood)

The closer the belly wood is to final shape when glued, the less of this type of set should be experienced.

Ken

[PatM]

I think most people find the opposite true, that reflex often increases as  belly wood is removed, no?

[DC]

I think most people find the opposite true, that reflex often increases as  belly wood is removed, no?

+1

[KS51]

With thin backings, I've seen that as well.  As backings get thicker, the balance shifts. It is also affected by the initial thickness ratios of the two pieces compared to the final thickness ratio (but I have not done any experimenting).  Trapping the back would also affect the final result.  My real point was that glued in reflex affects apparent set but that it is hard to quantify and is not true set, the way most would interpret it.

Ken

PS - one obvious experiment is to make a reflexed bow and take it to final "tiller" without actually flexing it so that any change in reflex is experienced without any other form of set occuŕing.  I guess a second bow woulld need to be made in parallel but it would be fully tillered.  Then the 2 could be compared for final shape.