Hickory Board Bow - where should I remove the last few pounds?

[txdm]

After my previous lesson on abrupt handles, I've made this one with more fade length and a full-width handle billet. The board has perfect grain with no twist.

I've got it down to the last 5 or so pounds to reach my desired draw weight, and I'm looking for recommendations on what part of the limbs to remove it from.

Braced:


Draw:


PS, I'm planning to put in a single back board for my tiller setup, that shadow on the right side back board is annoying.
Thanks for looking!

[Mo_coon-catcher]

What's the front profile look like? Is it a pyramid, tapering straight out of the fades? Or does it have a parrallel section for a length of the limbs?
If it's a pyramid the left limb looks good to me though is bending a bit hard at the fades. and the right limb is pretty flat mid limb. If it had parrallel sides, then it's bending too much in the first 6" of so of te fades. And the flat spot in the right limb is still there.

Kyle

[BowEd]

Handle looks good.Nice tillering set up too.I'd take the last few pounds from your outer limb thirds.It's bending at the moment rather sharply from the fades a tad.Especially your right limb at the fade.

[jeffp51]

too me it looks like you need to start at about your first pencil line on your backboards, and continue to two or three inches or so past the second pencil line.  the mid limbs onward look really stiff, but the tips should stay a little stiff

[Pat B]

I'd say to get the mid to outer limbs bending more and stay away from the fades. They are bending a bit too much.

[txdm]

Thanks for the help everyone!

The profile is parallel at 1.75" from the fades out to the last third, then tapers to 1/2 at the tips.

I'll work on the mid-to-outer sections and even it up. I'll ask later on about how much I can get away with removing at the tips to make them lighter.

[Pat B]

Yourb tips look thick enough so you should be able to narrow them down to at least 3/8" at the string grooves.

[bubby]

I agree with Patb, too much fade bend get the mids and outers moving

[bushboy]

Agreed!unbrace it and sight down the limbs.the areas working to much will show set and vise versa.

[txdm]

I did some more tillering and heat treated it today:


It ended up right at 45# at 26", which was the upper end of my goal draw weight.

Also got the handle started.


It's still a bit boxy, how much can I get away with rounding off the belly side of the handle?

The reason I try to wait as long as possible to make the handle is because it's too hard to resist shooting, and boy does this one shoot great.



After all this tillering in on a humid day and 50 test arrows, it was showing about 2" of follow and it settled back to 1-1/2" of set. That's probably unacceptable to some, but I can live with it for now. I'm mostly glad to have a nice 40-plus shooter to play with.

[bushboy]

Nice work!unfortunately you have a nasty hinge on the right!

[selfbow joe]

Nice work.  It looks good.

[jeffp51]

you can and should round off the handle and fades quite a bit more.  give the wood a chance to fit your hand, then it will by YOUR bow.  Those mid limbs look like they could use a little more bending, but it looks much better.

[bjrogg]

Glad you got a shooter txdm, as said looks better but still bending a bit to much at right fade. Have fun shooting this one and start another. Great to see improvements.
Bjrogg

[txdm]

Nice work!unfortunately you have a nasty hinge on the right!

Glad you got a shooter txdm, as said looks better but still bending a bit to much at right fade. Have fun shooting this one and start another. Great to see improvements.
Bjrogg

I worked quite a bit on the right side then realized when I flipped the bow around it looked like the other side was hinged. I need to get my lighting centered before I do any more on it.

The set dropped down to .75" overnight!