Pyramid vs everything else

[Selfbowman]

Well Pat when I get this design right I will. I am still working on the no set thing. I plan on learning from that bow that I cut up. Testing with that at this point. I am determined to get 180fps out of this design. With a proper arrow I'll get Steve! All in good fun though. Wish some of you guys would join us at the flats next year.  Arvin

[bubby]

I think we can establish that the pyramid design is for people who really don't like woodworking too much.   It's the design that always has some  guy wondering why we don't just CNC a bunch out of boards and call it good.

That is a pretty negativw generalization Patm. I love working with wood in way more than this medium and i make pyramid, or variations of pyramid bows all the time

[PatM]

Those guys push it as the only way though. That's a lot more negative.

[Selfbowman]

Pat come play and learn me something. I don't care what kind of bow anyone builds. I certainly don't claim to have this all figured out. But I am on a mission to try and beat a record. That is as fun for me as building the bows. I don't like building arrows near as much but yes that is part of the flight shooting. Then you get to the natural string material. That is what I really don't care for. I build a lot better bow than a compeditive string. The strings are breaking. Build them not to break and you end up with a rope. So much is frustrating yet the closer you get to one of those records , the more excited you get. At least for me anyway. Arvin

[Badger]

@ Badger and Selfbowman.....How important is arrow design when shooting distance?  from my research you need to be a "good" bowyer and a "great" arrowsmith to do good at the salt flats (distance).  appreciate any comments....
DBar

  The broadhead division is pretty straight forward. The bow is the most important as long as the archer does his part. The arrows fly pretty true at 450 grains. In the flight division I would divide it up into three eqal parts of performance. The archer needs to find the sweet spot and get the proper release and the arrow has to come out clean and straighten up fast. My best  shots have all been from decent but not what I would call exceptional bows, all of my bows that have tested fast through a chrono have not done so well in regular flight.

[bushboy]

I somehow doubt a pyramid would out do a mollegebet it a controlled test would be almost impossible.i could be wrong though?

Bring one to the salt flats . From experience that separates the old men from the boys.   
Arvin

sounds like we are comparing apples to oranges.my thought was hunting weight arrows at 20 yards!sorry,to many variable to be objective on this one

[Marc St Louis]

I have been staying out of this one to see where it would go  .  All I can say is that they are all good   

[Jim Davis]

My reason for always making pyramid bows is that apart from the fact that they shoot very well, they are exponentially easier to make. I might miss my weight now and then, but have not failed to make a shootable bow more than one time in 50, if that.

This is particularly true of bows that have dips and bumps in the side view. Just keep the thickness even through the bumps and taper the sides evenly.

Tillering by thickness is much more an art and a matter of scraping or sanding, since a change in thickness changes the strength at that spot by the cube of the change in thickness. (making the limb 90% as thick as it was reduces the strength to about 73% of what it was.) So a little too much off can make a hinge in a hurry.

I can make a pyramid bow that's ready to shoot in half an hour. So since I'd rather be shooting than shaving wood, that's what I do.

I'm good with hunting the hard way. But not so much with tillering the hard way.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Been a while since this site had a nice, heated discussion. Its a good thing.

I'm with Marc.

[PatM]

Been a while since this site had a nice, heated discussion. Its a good thing.

I'm with Marc.

 Show me your ugly pyramid bows.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Never considered building one.

 

[Hawkdancer]

Verrrry interesting!  I don't know enough to comment, but I like JW's point!  Bows are like kids, some are not as pretty as others.  beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and performance has to be proven.
Enjoyed reading all the points of view!
My level of expertise is zero, I'm still trying to get my bow bench built - I think the "garage troll" farted on my lumber.  May need some unicorn farts to counter act them!  Do have the stave marked and roughed out, thanks to a friend with a bandsaw,though
Hawkdancer

[Badger]

   I have found that a well made bow whose front profile matches its tillered profile will usually shoot right around 170 with a 10 grain arrow drawn 28" and using a clean release. This is with no string follow. Most all of my bows regardless of style end up right around this number. My ELBs used to come in about 5fps lower but when I changed my technique a bit they came right up with the rest of them.

[bradsmith2010]

I think that is pattern that keeps emerging as I study what guys are making,, on any given day a great bow of good design with a good shooter and arrow could be the best,,,

[mikekeswick]

   I have found that a well made bow whose front profile matches its tillered profile will usually shoot right around 170 with a 10 grain arrow drawn 28" and using a clean release. This is with no string follow. Most all of my bows regardless of style end up right around this number.

Agreed.