Recurve thickness

[redhillwoods]

I'm working on an Osage bow and have it tillered to brace. I'd like to flip the tips but l think l may have gone a bit too thin at the tips. The last 4-6 inches are about 1/16"-1/8" thicker than the working outer limb. Is this sufficient to keep the recurves reinforced? I'll steam and then temper them with dry heat.

[bownarra]

The recurve only needs to be as thick as the thinnest part of working limb Leave them a bit wide early one and reduce them when the bow is tillered.

[ssrhythm]

Bownara...if the tips where the curves start thru the string grooves of the bow are the same thickness as the working limb, are you saying that curves will not pull out, will still be static, or both?  Seems like that would cause them to at least work a little.  Like everyone on here, I’m wanting to go as thin as I can as my tips narrow and recurve, but I’ve been worried about getting too thin and having the recurves pull out or start working...so I’m leaving them thicker than they should be for max efficiency. 

I guess I need to bite the bullet and make an experimental bow or two and see what I can get away with without worrying about screwing them up.

Redhill...you could always to belly lams on the from tips just inside where the curves start if you want full static recurves and are worried about them pulling out at current specs.  Bownara, however, knows a lot more than me about this stuff.

[Pat B]

You can always add a thin underlay. It doesn't have to be very thick because it and the glue line will stiffen it up considerably. Probably start with a 1/8" underlay and reduce it as needed if needed.

[PatM]

In theory recurves can be as  thin as possible.  In practice relative to attaining a bend and optimizing heating time to hold that bend, a little extra thickness is a good idea.   You can refine width instead.

   Just as a little overbuilding of working parts is a good idea, so too is  overbuilding the non working portions.