Side tapers

[Badger]

    Was just ondering what the more successful methods are for side tapering on the war bows. I have in the past tried the straight taper to the tips but wasn't happy with the lateral stability in the bows. I have since gone to a progressive taper where the taper starts off small near the fades and increases as it nears the tips, basicaly dividing the limb into 3 or 4 segments with each segment using a slightly larger degree of taper. Steve

[YewArcher]

Steve,
I have made them both ways. I find that they shoot the same and are pretty stable if the middle of the bow has no taper. I then usually taper it really steep the last 10" to get the tips to just over 1/2". So thats breaking thelimb down to about 3rds. I usually vary this a bit depending on the wood. If its really straight and knot free I sometimes start my taper about 10" off ceneter and then all the way down to the tips. Most have chareceter or knots or humps and it works better with the method you describe because you have a bit more wiggle room to get around or over things. That espically worls well for prpeller twist or slight twis variations because of the added stability.

Thats how I do it anyways, Same rules for light weight elb's.

SJM

[Badger]

MJ, I just finished one out this morning, 60#@28" 72" long, I went for a full arc of the circle tiller on this one which I don't normally prefer. I am a little disappointed with the performance, looking at the bow i thought it would perform much better than it actually does. I think the next one I will keep the limbs wider out further and the tiller more elyptical, maybe a straight taper on the first 2/3 of the limb and a bit more radical on the last 1/3. I am very pleased with how accurately I shoot this bow however and performance is still acceptable so I will call it a keeper. Hitting 164 fps at 27" with a 570 grain arrow so about 10 grains per pound. Steve