Dimensions advice needed for bow #2

[Setarip]

Hey Guys,

So I'm getting ready to start my second bow. I found a very nice piece of maple from Lowes. The dimensions are .75"x2.5"x48" long. I weighed and found the density to sit at around .767gm^cm3 (nice and dense!). It's quartersawn with very straight grain for maple.

Anyways, I'm thinking of doing a mollegabet style bow with spliced levers. I am currently unsure as to how wide (should I keep the working limb at 2.5" wide?) and how thick I should have the working limb be. I would like to hit about 65 pounds for this bow. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Josh

[bubby]

Pretty ambitious for your second bow, i would figure 66" ttt and make the working portion of the bow 2/3rds the length of the limb, working limb 2" @ fades and taper to1"@ the transition to lever make that fade taper to 3/4" wide one inch long then taper to half inch tips to start 4" handle 2" fades

[Setarip]

Hey Bubby,
Thanks for the reply! Well, I have always been over confident in myself...so we shall see what happens! Any idea as to how thick the limb should be? Just to get close to the target weight and then tiller from there.

[Badger]

  You don't need to know the thickness, just take it down till it flexes and then start tillering. Most likely about 3/8 at the 48" length.

[bubby]

Badger is right, i usually get it around 1/2" and then floor tiller

[Setarip]

Thank you gentlemen! Hopefully I'll get her started tonight or tomorrow 

[Pat B]

I think I'd look for another one of those boards and splice them together and build a standard bow. Even a Molle would be appropriate. Use the cutoff wood that is left over for handle risers and tip overlays...but that's just me. 
 Also, I don't measure limb thickness. Just reduce them until both limbs bend evenly and together at the desired draw weight. By taking the limb thickness down from 3/4" you will get to know that piece of wood, its strengths and weaknesses. Getting to know the wood will help you to make a better bow.