One-Limb Reflex

[nguidi328]

Hey Guys!

Working on a hickory "flatbow" though it's not real wide (problem?)

Right now I just floor tillered it and recently got it strung, and I've just been tillering from brace height and drawing it 8-12".

One limb (bottom limb) seemed stiffer, hence chosen for the bottom limb, but it also has a bit of natural reflex in it.

My question is, should i be looking for a symmetrical brace, or should I leave the naturally reflexed limb straighter than the top limb, which doesn't have natural reflex?  Or do I need to reflex the top limb? (Don't really want a reflex bow, but would like some short, aggressive recurved tips).

Thanks!

[wizardgoat]

You want you braced and drawn profiles to reflect your unbraced profile. For both limbs to be properly strained, in your case, they will not look the same. Your slightly reflexed limb should look a little stiff in comparison to the un reflexed. . Most guys (me included) will use heat to match up the limbs, mostly adding reflex.  If it’s not severe, you could just leave it, and tiller it out keeping this stuff in mind. It’s not really a problem, just a little tougher to tiller

[SLIMBOB]

Me, I would heat and bend so that both Limbs are the same. Wizardgoat is entirely right in his analysis of what the profile would be. I just think it is easier to tiller when both limbs are the same. More pleasing to the eye as well. Both ways will work.

[Sagebrush]

You can heat it and bend it to your will (a good option)... or you can play with it a bit. Watch some of Del's videos where he works through character staves. Try to get them bending similarly. You likely will not have a textbook brace but you will learn a ton and still get a unique bow that spits arrows.  Good luck and have fun.

[Dances with squirrels]

Do not try to get them bending the same. Do as Wizardgoat said. Compare each limb to its own unbraced profile, not to the shape of the other limb.

That said, while each limb should not be compared to the shape of the other, it SHOULD be compared to the strength of the other... relative to the archer's holds.

This is why bows should be tillered from as soon as possible for limb balance/timing while pulling the string from the location of the string hand fulcrum. Even if the limbs look very different, it's very obvious if they're balanced or which one is stronger.

[SLIMBOB]

Just a quick Note.  The questioner asked a question about what he can consider doing with limbs that exit the bow differently, top and bottom.  I offered my opinion.  You can tell it's my opinion by how I started the sentence with "Me...."  Meaning, just my thoughts.  Nothing stated as an absolute fact.  And then, since I had stated an opinion, that I would heat bend them so that my profile was even....I gave two reasons that support my opinion...#1  Symmetrical profile is easier to tiller.  I don't think many would argue differently.  #2  More pleasing to the eye.  I could have said more pleasing to "my" eye.  That would have been more accurate.  Still, I suspect that if 2 bows were posted, one with the picture perfect profile and one uneven, and a vote was taken on which one people liked better, I don't think it would even be close.  So, I backed my opinion up with two strong points that support my opinion.
 DWS took a different approach.  His statement began with "Do not...."  Not so much a personal opinion as much as conveying some immutable law.  And gave no reason at all to support his position.  I have no problem with folks who hold strong opinions.  I hold some of my own.  But I would have preferred to know the rational behind his thinking.  Who knows, maybe I would have come away thinking differently about this subject.  But to win the point, you first have to make the point.

[Dances with squirrels]

Slimbob, my apologies. I have a habit of going into too much detail, resulting in posts that are too long, for which I've been criticized, so I've been trying to strive for brevity, and unfortunately sometimes that leaves important details behind. Let me clarify.

I started my post off with "Do not try to get them bending the same" in response to Sagebrush's post. In essence, he said you could either heat bend them so their unbraced profiles matched(which is fine).... orrrrrr.... leave them in their natural state and try to get them bending similarly. IMO, it would be a mistake to work toward tillering two limbs to bend the same during the draw when they are shaped/profiled differently at rest.

I hope that helps.

Now that said, even if I heat bent them so their unbraced profiles matched, and could then be tempted to compare their flexing to one another, I'd still gauge their relative strength like I do with any bow, same profile limbs or not... by pulling the string from where the archer will pull it and watching to see whether the hook comes straight down, or is pulled to the side by a stronger limb.

[SLIMBOB]

Hey, no problem and I appreciate you clarifying that.  I too can tend toward being very wordy.  I agree with that assessment.  The limbs bending into a picture perfect profile is the wrong call if they started out from different places.  As far as relative strength of each limb, also a good point.  If one limb is sharply deflexed coming out of the handle, and you heat bend it into some degree of reflex, then it may be asking too much to make it work with the other limb.  Possible I suppose.  I have had this issue on lots of bows over the years.  I will usually try and split the difference in getting them matching one another.  This has generally worked for me without incident.