Big Feller Bow

[Josh B]

Not arguin with ya Marc, but would a 68" x 2"stave benefit from 2-3 courses of sinew?!? I would think diminishing returns...

Yes a 68" sinew backed bow could be efficient provided the draw length and or reflex are enough to work the sinew.   Too long for sinew should be viewed in a relativity mindset that factors in the amount of strain the bow will be under at full draw.  However, a 68" bendy handled bow with proper tiller should be able to handle 34" draw without sinew.  Josh

[Stringman]

Makes sense.

[Badger]

  I tend to agree with the guys before you start verify draw length. I think 68" will stack a bit no matter how you tiller it. The other thing is that once you start the build at whatever point it starts taking set you don't have far you can go regardless of target draw length. Some of these long draw bows are so mushy they are not worth shooting. I would no go shorter than about 74".

[bradsmith2010]

one of the main benefits of sinew, is the short bow is less likely to take set or break.. but not always,, you know how bow making is,,

[loon]

why not just go with a dense wood like osage or ipe, make it wide and holmegaard-ish? maybe with slightly flipped tips.

say with bamboo backed ipe and 2" wide, 4" stiff handle and 1.5" fades, holmegaard style (eiffel tips pyramid with stiff 4" tips), how short could I go for 60#@32"? With no set

I wanna make a maple self bow with a 32" draw, maybe 76" long. I don't like how unwieldly long bows are. But I really like how smooth and sweet they are.

[LittleBen]

Agreed with all that's been said.

I built a bow for two different guys with legitimate 31" draws ... both well over 6' tall. Built both bows 68" with 12 riser section. They were both hickory backed Ipe tri laminate bows, reflex deflex design, 1.5" wide and 60+#. i don't know if they would have handled much more draw though ... maybe. But then again they were a far cry from a self bow.

[sleek]

A 68" bow pulled 34" is no different than 56" bow pulled 28".

Hey Pearl, it can be done. its just a hard build. Honestly, id bet a 56 inch bow van be made to pull in the 30s at 50# and have a cast in the 160s to 170s.

[bradsmith2010]

Sleek I think you would break alot of bows to get one to work,, but thats a whole nother thread right,,

[RatherBinTheWoods]

I saw Mike from YouTube channel Boarrior Bows manage to get 28" draw from a 48" bow on video!! Its under heading Shortest Boarrior Bow Ever!. Crazy tiller for wood but it's actually a really cool looking little thing.

It can be done but not quite as easily as he makes it sound  - "follow a ring and stick some rawhide on" Although both those will help you get there obviously :0)

[PEARL DRUMS]

Its all about longevity a healthy bow and worry free shooting. None of which will come from the above bow. Not to mention incredible stacking. If you know what stack is then you know how to feel it. These super stressed bows get 75% of their draw weigh the last 4" of draw. I have felt it many times over.