Brace height

[DC]

I'm making a bow that has a Cupids Bow shape. The handle is set back toward the archer about 1-1 1/2"*. Do I still measure brace height from the handle to the string? If yes does that mean that brace height is mostly about wrist clearance?

*Edit I lied, it's only set back 3/4"

[PatM]

More people are probably concerned with tuning than wrist clearance.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I just finished a 3 pc take down. The handle is set back a good ways and the limbs are RD'ed. My typical brace height is near 6". On this bow its barely 5". If I were to jack it up to my "normal" height it would be way too high and probably loud. I guess what I'm saying is, use your eyes and trust them. Look at the limbs at brace. You can see when a bow looks over-braced or under-braced. It simply doesn't look right. When it looks right, quite often it shoots right. I always use my eyes to get the initial look, then start shooting and maybe tweak it a 1/4" one way or another.

[George Tsoukalas]

What PD said. I always set my brace height at the lowest setting at which excellent arrow flight is achieved. Jawge

[crooketarrow]

 You have to let the wood (bow) tell you the brace height. In general the height should be around 6 inch's Anything less makes you bow faster anything more makes your bow slower and less stable.

  My bows with time has came out to where my feathers just touch and lay on the shelf. Which is just under 6 inch's.

Some bows very because of handle shape and placement. But I'd say 6 inch's is average.

[loon]

You have to let the wood (bow) tell you the brace height. In general the height should be around 6 inch's Anything less makes you bow faster anything more makes your bow slower and less stable.

  My bows with time has came out to where my feathers just touch and lay on the shelf. Which is just under 6 inch's.

Some bows very because of handle shape and placement. But I'd say 6 inch's is average.

more brace height is less stable?!?!? no way. sure it'll stack sooner and put the bow under more strain, and might be slower. higher draw weight as well.
For reflex/recurve bows, generally more brace height is more stable..

[bow101]

Raising the brace height will:

DECREASE the dynamic spine of the arrow
INCREASE the draw weight
DECREASE arrow speed
INCREASE limb stress

Lowering the brace height:

INCREASE the dynamic spine of the arrow
DECREASE the draw weight
INCREASE arrow speed
INCREASE string slap on arm

[mikekeswick]

Changing brace height doesn't change draw weight. Nor does it change the arrow. The arrow stays the same....but whats required of it changes....
Lower brace puts more 'push' behind the arrow and makes it have to bend further to clear the handle.

[Selfbowman]

I agree draw weight does not change. How ever you can get more cast with lower brace to a point.go from 8" brace to 6" brace and you will see a difference.  Arvin

[burchett.donald]

      Any brace height changes the arrows paradox to some degree...To low and the string follows to close for proper paradox clearance and gives me helicopter arrow flight, real sloppy...I have changed left and right arrow impact by going up and down with brace height...The higher I went the more I would impact left, as a right hand shooter...I am a gap shooter and am sensitive to the change of brace height, more so when I shot trad years ago...
      If you want to you could start extremely low wearing a glove and move brace height up until your arrow flight cleans itself up...Then you will be close to the best performing brace, may still smoke that wrist for ya though...Sometimes brace has gotta be high depending on the build...JM2cent
                                                                                                                                        Don

PS  For the new folks, string slap can cause surgery...Broken veins

[bow101]

Changing brace height doesn't change draw weight. Nor does it change the arrow. The arrow stays the same....but whats required of it changes....
Lower brace puts more 'push' behind the arrow and makes it have to bend further to clear the handle.

It changes dynamic spine of the arrow ,  try changing your own bow you will see that an increase in brace height does increase the weight by about as much as 2# depending on amount

[PEARL DRUMS]

If the draw length doesn't change the weight cant. No matter what brace height your draw starts at the limbs are bending the same exact amount at full draw creating the same amount of energy. The only impact brace height has on the arrow is time on the string. Higher brace height equals a smaller power stroke and shorter brace equals a longer power stroke hence the dynamic spine change. Draw weight remains in either scenario, and yes I've tested that on my own bows.