4" of reflex

[Selfbowman]

I had a stave with about 3-1/2 in natural reflex in it. Good stave . After straightening and shaping I have 4-1/4" reflex. My question is has anyone had success keeping that much reflex in a66" stave or bow? If so what weight was the bow in the end.

[Pat B]

You probably won't retain the 4 1/2" of reflex but you could end up with 2" if you take it slow and easy. And, you could easily end up with a 60# bow if that's where you want to be.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Ive tried to keep that kind of reflex on self bows, but cant. I usually end up with about 50-60% in the end. I've even made bows 2-4" longer than they need to be and still that excess reflex pulls out. Natural reflex seems to hold better than heat induced.

[paulsemp]

I would put some D Flex in the handle.

[Del the cat]

I would put some D Flex in the handle.

+1
Del

[Badger]

  Set and no set to me are the hardest things to understand and interpret in bow making. Early string tension seems to be the bottom line. Often bows with a lof of reflex will end up with thin limbs. The thin limbs allow the back of the bow to pull it back into shape even though the belly may have been crushed. I built a radical recurve a few years ago with 12" reflex. It held almost all of it in spite of being badly crushed. The big tip off is how much they come back after restringing. A bow that creeps back into its original shape is a bow that has picked up hysteresis if they are solid and stay pretty much the same you are usually in good shape. 

[bradsmith2010]

just leave it a bit wide, do your best and the natural reflex will be nice, what ever you end up with,, I agree with Pearl,, the natural reflex seems to stay pretty good,, I think you will end up around 2 inches, depending on your design

[Selfbowman]

Ok 65" ntn 8-1/2 " handle fade to fade. 2" at fades . Pyramid. Probably around a 1-1/4 at mid limbs is what they end up. As usual I can't load pics because of size. Shooting for 50 #at 28. But if it would hold almost all reflex at 35# . I could make a ladies flight bow that might do the job.
Arvin

[HH~]

More weight I remove the more reflex as well. I been working on a HHB that has 5.5" of natural. Grew with a tree laying on it for 6yrs. Been going very very slow with this bow. Has good crown on both limbs and it's at 70lbs @16" and still has 5.25" of reflex remaining. I have made the mistake before to shoot for a mid 40's in HHB or Hedge with good natural or spliced backset reflex and lost 50-75%.

My instinct tells me the more wood left on limbs, more reflex you save.

Shawn~

[Selfbowman]

Ok floor tillered and long string to brace height. 34# at brace. So math guys how does that help the bow after it comes to rest? Does this mean the bow would actually be a 74#er at 28". For the smart guys I am showing my ignorance? I can guess the strain on the limbs is increased substantially with reflex. That's why it's so hard to keep the reflex in the limbs. So the happy medium is also different with every wood. I keep scratching my head I won't have any hair left.   Arvin

[Selfbowman]

I did a force draw with long string hanging 3" from back of bow strung. At this 3" the bow and arrow weighed1.4# at 6"-21.84#,8"-23.86#,10"-25.78. This is close to a six inch brace ht. 12"-28.30,14"-30.88,16"-34.50#,18"37.30#. Ok at this point the bow has taken 1/4 in set. Did not relax back to original 4". I am going to do something I have never tried. I am going to trace the back of the bow on to a piece of paper on my bench an monitor exactly where the bow takes set and adjust accordingly. Any body done any thing similar to this before? I am pretty good at hanging the bow string on my scale and pulling down and checking tiller as I go that way. Also just getting it even at brace. This has been my go to tillering method to the present. Don't know if I am helping myself or not. Just trying something new. Arvin

[bradsmith2010]

so if you pulled it to 28 on the long string it would be about 55# 
if its even,, it wont hurt to string it,, so you really know where you are at,,
leave it wide for 35# if you want more wood,, dont pull it past 35,, and you should get a nice profile with little set,,

[DC]

I trace all my bows on paper. Someone on here recommended it, sorry I can't remember who. It will show you where the set is happening but it also shows the slight differences in the limbs if you swap it end for end. That will show you why your tiller looks off and that maybe you shouldn't scrape that spot so much

[Badger]

Arvin, if you were to brace that bow it would still read about 37#@18"

[Selfbowman]

Well D.C. We seldom come up with anything new. But this is new to me. It will be interesting to see how it works out for me. Back at it tomorrow. I like natural light and plenty when I tiller. Arvin