Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: LimbLover on May 25, 2012, 04:12:11 pm
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Hello Everyone!
This is my first post here, though I've been hanging around for awhile. I'm a big fan of the folks on this site and their bow-making abilities. I'm gradually shifting to making selfbows and recently purchased a u-finish hickory kit to get started. I love the bow and have been constantly experimenting with it. I don't leave it alone.
It was 48lb @ 28" and 71", but after shooting it for awhile it now stays in the set (proper terminology?) position to a degree. Similar to a string follow bow. It was really starting to bug me. I read that shortening the bow sometimes fixes this issue so I removed an 1.5" from each side to make it a 68" bow.
The finish is currently drying. Was I too hasty? How much set should be expected for an all wood hickory bow?
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p65/FadedGlory77/IMG_2571.jpg)
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p65/FadedGlory77/IMG_2572.jpg)
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Golden rule: Under 2 1/2" is fine.
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Dont forget set is measured from your starting point. If you started with 2" of reflex and now your bow is 2" from the wall when you put the back up to it. You have 4" of set. The total distance the limb has weakened since you started tillering it.
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Ideally a bow will take little or no set, but that takes a lot of knowledge and practice to accomplish consistently. As a practical matter, 1 1/2" of string follow is no big deal unless you are competing in a flight shoot. Shortening a bow will not decrease set, it will likely have the opposite effect because doing so adds additional stress to the limbs.
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i 2nd Gordon, in my experience set it actually increased by piking (shortening) the limb, but if you wanted to know how much set a bow should take, it depends mostly on the wood, and the climate its in, i live in South louisiana, and hickory makes a good bow, but the set on it is usually much more than that of an osage or other wood good for a humid climate. so if where yoi live is very wet or humid, that could contribute a lot to the set of the bow.
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Ideally a bow will take little or no set, but that takes a lot of knowledge and practice to accomplish consistently. As a practical matter, 1 1/2" of string follow is no big deal unless you are competing in a flight shoot. Shortening a bow will not decrease set, it will likely have the opposite effect because doing so adds additional stress to the limbs.
Oh no!! I hope it doesn't increase substantially. I think I was around 1 1/2" of set. In retrospect, I guess I shouldn't have been so impulsive. :o
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i 2nd Gordon, in my experience set it actually increased by piking (shortening) the limb, but if you wanted to know how much set a bow should take, it depends mostly on the wood, and the climate its in, i live in South louisiana, and hickory makes a good bow, but the set on it is usually much more than that of an osage or other wood good for a humid climate. so if where yoi live is very wet or humid, that could contribute a lot to the set of the bow.
I live in Michigan. Quite humid.
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I live 60 minutes straight east of you. How much set did you have prior to cutting the length down?
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I live 60 minutes straight east of you. How much set did you have prior to cutting the length down?
I believe it was around 1.5" but I am estimating. I didn't even know what that was prior to yesterday.
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Thats not bad at all if you started with a flat board. Plan on adding maybe another 1/2" or so after shooting in the snipped off version. I would be happy with that from a board type bow.
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I appreciate that!
Are you from the Lansing area Pearl?
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Perrinton/Rainbow Lake area
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If it really bothers you, you could put some reflex back into it with dry heat. Think twice before you do this though, because it would also add draw weight and need to be tillered back to the weight you want. Adding reflex also adds stress but hickory can stand a lot, so it shouldn't be a problem.
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Nearly all bows take some set, it sometimes doesn't look like it because they maybe started with 2" of reflex.
IMO if it takes no set at all then the wood isn't being worked hard enough and the bow isn't performing at optimum.
Any spring, even an automotive valve spring or suspension spring will take a little set over time.
If you build an 80" 30# @24" bow it will have no set but it will be as fast as decision from a government department.
I'd also rather have a little set than a broken bow.
With it up against the wall three fingers or less between belly and wall is fine in my book.
Del
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If you build an 80" 30# @24" bow it will have no set but it will be as fast as decision from a government department.
;D Hahaha
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Of course one can avoid set by over-building. The trick is to get as close to no-set as possible without overbuilding. In general, that will result in the optimal balance between performance and durability for a given design.
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Thanks everyone!
Well the set seems to be about the same but I haven't shot the bow enough to see how it is going to settle. It is shooting really well at the new length but it draws a bit heavier now. Smooth, but heavier, or maybe I'm going crazy.
I'll update as I continue to shoot it but I'm really enjoying it. The bow came with the string grooves and tips cut and it was a lot of fun to do that on my own this time around.
I think I just need to get a new project going so I stop messing with this one. ;)
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One tip for reducing and almost eliminating set. Erics tillering gizmo. If you use that right off the bat before you have bent the limbs much you will get off to a good start. Almost eliminates the possibility of minor hinges that cause set. I don't like the circular tiller it gives so when I get to about 23 or 24" of draw I start getting the outer and middle limbs working a bit more. I generaly will put about 2 or 2 1/2" reflex in a bow and like to mainatin a full 1" or 1 1/2" after the bow is shot in.