Limb Thickness - Rules of Thumb

[Eric Krewson]

Yep, just outside your outside layout line where you fade transitions in to the limb.

[Burnsie]

I make a 1/2" mark at the end of the fade and and drop the measurement 1/16" every 6" until I get to 1/4". I hold the 1/4" measurement to the tip of the bow.  I start removing wood to my line but leave the belly rounded, I never go lower than a 1/2" thickness at the tip even though I have a 1/4" mark on the side. I drop the width to as low as 3/8" at the tip but the limb tip is 1/2" thick.

Does the 1/2" thickness of the limb tips include any tip overlays you might add, or just the original bow wood?

[Eric Krewson]

Yes, but just where the overlay sits, I cut my platform for the overlay at a slant back to belly so the overlay will blend with the limb and not be a big bump on the back of the tip. The limb up to the overlay will be 1/2" thick where the overlay starts.

I make my overlays 2 1/4" long so the blend with the limb gracefully.