Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Prarie Bowyer on September 19, 2011, 02:42:25 am

Title: Brace height question
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on September 19, 2011, 02:42:25 am
Ha!  I made a bow that didn't break, that I like, and that is over 50#! 

Should my brace height be deeper than my fletching?  I'm at 5.5" and the tips of my fletching rest on the side of the bow.  Is that normal?  It shoots off the hand.

70" R/D with a handle bump.  53# at 29-30".  I'm thinking 2 more twists of the string will put me at 54# at 28.  Pics coming.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: dmc on September 19, 2011, 03:34:00 am
The brace height on my board bows are all 6-6.5 inches, and my fletching touches my bow as well, with no shooting problems.
Looking forward to seeing your pic's.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: RyanY on September 19, 2011, 03:47:37 am
Changing brace height doesn't affect draw weight. Brace height depends a lot on personal preference. I usually like a 6" brace height.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: mikekeswick on September 19, 2011, 04:02:52 am
One tip is to keep the bracing height as low as you can and still get clean arrow flight. A higher bracing height will give you slower arrows and increase strain on the bow.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Pappy on September 19, 2011, 08:47:55 am
Mine are usually 51/2 to 6  that seems to works for me.  :) I usually use 4 inch feathers and start fletching them a little futher back on the arrow so it don't set against the bow. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Scowler on September 19, 2011, 10:09:17 am
What mikekeswick said.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: M-P on September 19, 2011, 02:38:03 pm
Howdy,  I tend toward low brace heights.  See other's comments on keeping the brace height as low as is consistent with clean arrow flight.  I feel that strains the bow a little less and theoretically is slightly more efficient.  As a result my fletches almost always touch the bow, but I don't notice a problem.   ( That may be different if I hunted and was worried about noise during the draw.)      Ron
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: George Tsoukalas on September 19, 2011, 10:51:11 pm
I like to begin adjusting brace height at fletch clearing distance. Typically, my brace height is 7-7.5 inches as measured from  string to back of handle. This may help you tune up.
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/selfbowcare.html
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: crooketarrow on September 20, 2011, 10:55:32 am
   My bows use'lly have a little clearence of the feathers. Each bow is a little difference. You have to show it to find that sweet spot.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Slackbunny on September 20, 2011, 02:12:19 pm
Has anyone ever noticed any performace problems if the fletchings touch the bow at brace height? The bow I recently made has a brace height a little over 5 inches and the fletchings on my arrows do touch my sight window a bit, but i'm still fairly new to shooting instinctive and can't really tell if that is throwing me off or not.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on September 20, 2011, 02:54:32 pm
I have few that sit on the grip, no biggy.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Slackbunny on September 20, 2011, 05:32:44 pm
Well that's good to know, because I am very happy with how everything turned out and I would be reluctant to start making changes to it now.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Stickhead on September 20, 2011, 05:37:54 pm
A fistmele works well for me, and it's easy to measure (mine's around 6 1/2").  It clears my fletchings, and if my brace height gets much lower, my wrist starts getting slapped.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: PeteC on September 20, 2011, 11:30:51 pm
I prefer to keep my BH as low as I can and still keep the bow quiet.Mine usually end up at 5 1/2",and the front of my fletching lays on the handle as you described yours.It does'nt hurt a thing.I think it is easier on self-bows with a low BH ,with less strain . JMHO God Bless
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on September 21, 2011, 12:30:39 pm
I'm trying to get pics up but PhotoBucket isn't letting me in today.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Postman on September 21, 2011, 02:19:32 pm
I stressed out about the same thing when I began, , but I'm now shooting well at 5 1/2 in. brace  with short 60" or so bows and do not see any Ill effects.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: miketurner on September 21, 2011, 05:10:40 pm
why does it matter if the fletches touch at brace height? when you draw the bow they wont touch and when ya release the arrow they all touch for a sec. does it really matter? I have been flintknapping a few years and I just started dabbling with making primitive bows so I was just wondering. do me it doesn't seem that it should make a difference.
Title: Re: Brace height question
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on September 22, 2011, 02:24:37 am
Well I was just thinking that it will probably tear up the feathers.  They touch before drawing.  On a knuckle shot bow  that means that when drawing the feathers are rubbed backwards  adding wear and tear.  I'm uisng 5" long fletches adn I may drop that down in the future.


Still cant get into my photobucket account.  The bow is on my Face Book Account.