56“ Purple leaf plum stick with set back 37#26“

[backtowood B2W]

I floortillerd this bow green and wraped it, with some spacers,to a blank and let it dry, sealed of course. You can still see the marks from the wraping on the bark at the lower limb. So I ended up with a not so symmetric profile as I hoped.
Decided to make the upper a bit longer and hoped to compensate some of the extra bend, which this one will have to handle.
Pics are: the original stick after drying - before stringing - strung to 1"bh - occurred set tillering it to about 23" draw.

[backtowood B2W]

I started with 3“ of set back, which i lost during tillering. Reflexing the tips with dry heat restored 1“, for the price of some belly cracks which are wrapped in flax.
The bow follows the string about 1/2“ and goes back to 1“ set back after 15 min.
Shooting it in I overdraw the bow to about 27 1/2“ and the upper loop slided of the nock. Good test for the bellycracks. So after the shock I inspected the bow for any damages or more set or string follow. Luckily everything hold up fine.
Pics: to bh - profile after reflexing tips with dry heat - FD - string alignment

[Del the cat]

Nice, gotta love a stick bow.
Del

[backtowood B2W]

Woodspecies: Purple leaf plum, shoot
brace height: 5"
Max w: 1“
Bendy Handle 3 1/2“
Fades: 1“
Asymmetric
Mass: 299 gramm
Selfnocks: one before a knot, upper with security hook so the loop doesn't slip off that easy
Finish: Tungoil

Thanks for watching! comments appreciated!!
B2W

[bjrogg]

Interesting bow. Nice job
Bjrogg

[backtowood B2W]

thank you DEL
Do you think I can squeeze out some more draw length some how?
A kink in the upper maybe?
thank you bjrogg!

[Del the cat]

It's working pretty hard....
Maybe pull it until it breaks, then back off a tad .
I had one blow on me yesterday, it was made in 2011 and it's one I'n not really shot, I wanted to check the weight to see if it was suiatble to loan out to a friend, got it to 28 on the tiller, glanced at the scale and kaboom... had my left hand resing lightly on the handle and it contrived to slice into my finger 
Del

[backtowood B2W]

ouch, that hurts...
Maybe pull it until it breaks, then back off a tad . - - - I did but then the upper string loop slides off the nock. The little hooks in the nock helping a bit but I would like to draw it to 28 safely. The wood will hold up to that I guess, Purple leaf Plum is incredible stuff. I am really impressed by this wood, ---- ok I haven't worked with OO or Yew yet but I love PLP
If I cannot draw it to 28" it will be still working for me, shooting draw hand left-handed. That΄s my lately additional workout as I recognize asymmetric things going on in my body.
Actually I started bow shooting because of back issues. It helped a lot but now it starts to be controversy.
This is my first a bit heavier stick bow (the other two are kids bows) and it shoots nice, no hand shock, fun to shoot my lighter dogwood arrows with.
Thanks for reply!
B2W

[NonBacked]

The upper limb string angle is already 90 deg. – that’s enough – don’t try to go further. You probably took that little stick to its limit, especially with the starting profile – reflexed handles and reflexed limbs on selfbows are a challenge. You did a good job keeping that one together!

[DC]

The upper limb string angle is already 90 deg. – that’s enough – don’t try to go further. You probably took that little stick to its limit, especially with the starting profile – reflexed handles and reflexed limbs on selfbows are a challenge. You did a good job keeping that one together!

+1

[Pat B]

You might be able to get a little more bend at the lower fade but I'd use that to relieve the stress instead of getting more draw length. Cool little bow. 

[SLIMBOB]

Cool looking bow!

[Badger]

  Purple plum is my number 1 favorite bow wood. I don't think a better bow wood exists. You were asking about squeezing out a little more draw. It is not about will it break or not. The failure starts when the bow starts taking set. If you continue on past that point you gain no power at all, you start loosing power even though you might be gaining draw length. When a bow such as your is reflexed right out of the handle it gives you horrible string angles right from the start, it will want to bend too much mid limb which is not good for a wood bow.

[backtowood B2W]

Do you think going the other way by trying to get some of the set back out, in the green stage would helped? I mean trying to get it more symmetric with the not so heavy curves of the other limb?

[simk]

Hey, that's a crazy bend on a weird stick of fascinating wood! Leave and enjoy as it is. Careful and interesting pic documentation also - thanks! On short staves its best to have good bend close center, statics can help, imho. Cheers

Edit: Really nice handle wrapping, as always