Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bow101 on March 06, 2015, 11:44:25 pm

Title: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bow101 on March 06, 2015, 11:44:25 pm
How can Brace Height determine the final outcome of weight at full draw....?  I always see this mentioned in E-Bay ads and classifieds.
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: Weylin on March 07, 2015, 12:08:16 am
I don't see how it can. Bracing a bow is essentially just pre-drawing it to a certain point so you can put an arrow on the string.
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: mikekeswick on March 07, 2015, 02:59:20 am
Nope - that's codswallop  ;D
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bow101 on March 07, 2015, 04:23:55 pm
Nope - that's codswallop  ;D

Yep thats what I say... although these guys are not bowyers , simply mis-informed amateur archers.   >:D
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bradsmith2010 on March 07, 2015, 05:35:38 pm
if you brace the bow at different heights, it will have different draw weight, try it and see :) and here is the counter intuitive part, the lower brace will have a lower draw weight but shoot harder for that bow,,
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: DC on March 07, 2015, 05:51:12 pm
If you have a higher brace height you have a shorter string. If you have a shorter string and your draw length stays the same wouldn't you be pulling the bow a little farther. Just thinking out loud. Your actual power stroke would be shorter, I think ???
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bubbles on March 07, 2015, 05:59:27 pm
I would think the #age change from adjusting brace height would be quite minute, unless they are ridiculous brace adjustments, like 2" brace to an 8" brace.  Lower brace shoots harder because of the longer power stroke. Higher brace would going up in weight a little bit because you are shortening the string  causing a string angle closer 90degrees at FD, causing the bow to stack ever so slightly more than the lower brace height.  At least, that's how it works in my head.  I could be way off.
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: DC on March 07, 2015, 06:19:10 pm
The older I get the more that kind of stuff screws with my head. More than one thing happening at once is really tough on my depleted brain cells. I wasn't called a dope for nothing.
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: DC on March 07, 2015, 06:32:46 pm
I just tried it. Before the bow was 33# @ 27". I raised the brace height by an inch and it was 33+# @ 27". Maybe a few ounces more if that. I'm not really confident with my scale, it's close but? Let's say there is a theoretical gain ;) ;)
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: Del the cat on March 07, 2015, 06:40:58 pm
I just tried it. Before the bow was 33# @ 27". I raised the brace height by an inch and it was 33+# @ 27". Maybe a few ounces more if that. I'm not really confident with my scale, it's close but? Let's say there is a theoretical gain ;) ;)
There may be a very small gain in poundage, but it is more than offset by a shorter power stroke.
I remember as a kid trying to make bows to shoot further by cranking up the brace height... didn't work then, doesn't work now.
Del
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bradsmith2010 on March 07, 2015, 06:47:11 pm
if probably really depends on the design of the bow as to how much difference it might make,, but if you are shooting through a chrono,, you will see the difference in cast your brace can make,, and a good scale will show you the difference in poundage even if small,, there are some examples in the Bowyers Bible,, I cant remember which one,, I think volume one,, and the difference is a couple of pounds, but the cast is better even at the lower draw weight,,
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bow101 on March 07, 2015, 06:58:49 pm
Some of these guys are saying an increase of 5+ # I can see the cast been different, but in my mind a 28" draw is 28"...  Good point brought up about a shorter string, I guess that can change the dynamics. I also heard that a lower brace height affects performance.   ???  Anyway I'm glad I brought this up.  Another good point is a lower brace height would put less stress on the limbs.  This is getting a little wierd and confusing... :) 

At the end of the day I like to have the lowest brace height possible making it a smooth draw and having less stress, and easier to brace.  5 1/2"  seems to work for me.
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: DC on March 07, 2015, 07:04:44 pm
My feathers are 5", add an inch for fingers, that's 6' to the belly of the handle. I should try 4" fletching. But the long fletching looks so cool :P :P
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bow101 on March 07, 2015, 07:07:27 pm
I'm using 4" fletching just makes it easier with a lower brace height I figure.  Maybe I should up the length like 4 1/2 it might help with my arrow flight.  I don't know what the diff is. ::)
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: PatM on March 07, 2015, 08:58:46 pm
What exactly are they saying?
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: Hrothgar on March 07, 2015, 10:28:08 pm
Visualize this in the extreme using a converse logic. Imagine a 66" string on a 64" bow; technically it isn't pulling any weight until it has been dawn a couple inches, therefore when it reaches a 28" draw the poundage will still be pretty light.
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 08, 2015, 09:49:14 am
I don't own a bow that changes draw weight based on its given brace height. I want one though. I think early string tension could get confused for heavier draw weight. The bows shape is exactly the same at say 28" drawn whether its 3" braced or 6" braced. That distance between the throat of the grip and your draw hand never changes at full draw, still 28".
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bow101 on March 08, 2015, 04:00:30 pm
Good thing you chimed in; your 2 bits makes it easier to understand for some. 
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bradsmith2010 on March 08, 2015, 05:54:11 pm
if you will weigh you bow with a 3 inch brace,, and then with a 6 inch brace you will see there is a difference :)
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: bow101 on March 08, 2015, 09:00:02 pm
if you will weigh you bow with a 3 inch brace,, and then with a 6 inch brace you will see there is a difference :)

Seriously lets put this in proper context, a 3" brace is ridiculously low, I think that most of us are on the same page and think in terms of adequate brace like something between 5 - 7"..   Probably would be a slight increase from 5 to 7 but is it worth quibbling about.  :laugh:
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: jayman448 on March 09, 2015, 02:37:36 am
there should be no difference in actual draw weight. itll feel lower to begin with but you will be pulling the same distance and loading the same potential energy. all that changes is string angle (finger pinch) and the bows final resting place (and some argue that a lower brace means higher arrow speed)
Title: Re: ?????? # Depending on Brace Height
Post by: Del the cat on March 09, 2015, 04:59:25 am
If you think for a moment about the geometry of it*... of course it will make a difference.
The question is "how much"?
The answer is "surprisingly little"
Del

*At high brace the string is a tiny bit shorter. The length of the bow has not changed. Therefore to pull the string back to the same point as before the limbs must be bending more. However, it's a very small difference and string angle changes tends to make this negligible.
Same way as the force draw curve of a bow is surprisingly linear despite all the weird geometry and physics. Some times the maths and physics doesn't actually help.
Del