Poundage on Bow and Handle

[bassman]

American Elm reflex deflex. 50 inches knock to nock. 43 lbs at 25.5 inches of draw. Off side wood at shelf is .750.  Wood front to back .750 at the thickest part of riser. Riser is one inch wide. The bow tapers from the middle of the riser to the tips on the belly side. Shelf cut out is .250.  Works ,because the riser is working in the last couple inches of draw.Bow shoots a 420 gr. arrow at 151 fps with an 8 strand B55 string. 8 knots in the bow. One big one on the side of the top limb filled with Elm saw dust, and crazy glue. Tribute to Elm wood, and patching with Elm saw dust,and crazy glue. That is what can be done ,but I don't recommend to others for the safety factor.

[bassman]

more pics

[HH~]

Looks good. Got a FD photo?

Shawn

[bassman]

Here is  an American  Hornbeam bow  that failed with the same method as above. Other wise would have made a decent bow. I cut the arrow shelf out to deep, and in the pictures you will see the crack right at the deepest part of the shelf cut out. "Bow maker blunder." I have made my fair share of them.

[bassman]

HH, full draw picture of the Elm bow coming. Wrap a grip, more finish, some wax ,and check for any  flaws that need to be taken care of.

[bassman]

The bow at past my full draw.

[bassman]

The cracked hornbeam bow has been repaired ,and shooting. 47 inches long pulls 24 inches at 40 lbs.

[Selfbowman]

Bassman those short bows are nearly impossible to cut much of shelf in . Your short bows are impressive though. Mine are usually Roughed about 1-1/2 wide . Then the shelf is usually cut 1/8 shy of center. Then the handle is reduced from there. Most are 9-10” non bending handles that include a couple inches fade. Does that address your question? If not I’m not sure of your questions.  Arvin

[bassman]

I had no question Arvin. I was just illustrating with the bows I posted that you neither have to make a  really stiff non working handle, or a bend through handle to cut a 1/4 inch deep shelf even on a 50 inch bow at 25.5 inches draw with ELM. By tapering the handle from the middle both ways it gives more working limb, and flexes the handle in the last couple inches of draw. Thanks for the compliment friend.

[Selfbowman]

Hey tillering was those short bows are critical. One little deeper scrape and there goes 5#. Not my style but respect those builds.  Arvin

[bassman]

Most of them that I make that way is because that is all the stave will give me.Lately if the stave is long enough I am making 62 to 70 inch bows.

[Jim Davis]

You can drop your poundage down to zilch in your limbs with wood removal, the problem is the lower you go the more critical every tiny scrape is going to be.

Far better to narrow the limbs at this point.  (Assuming you have tillered to full draw.) If you want to reduce weight by 10%, narrow the limbs by that percentage. Width affects weight in a direct correspondence.

[bassman]

I reduced the limbs both ways  with the broken handled bow after I made the repair to the handle . The bow ended up 36 lbs at full draw.  I know many on here won't cut arrow rests in their bows, and with these short bows is really more critical, but I prefer the arrow rest, and if I crack a handle once in a while I am willing to make the fix.

[Pappy]

I just try and leave enough wood so it won't bend in the handle, then I have no problem with the splitting into the shelf. If they don't bend where you violated the longitudinal grain with the handle and shelf cut in they usually won't give any trouble. sorry i think we high jacked this thread. opps 
 Pappy

[bassman]

Mostly every one else does to pappy. That is my point. Fade  the handle from the middle both ways  to get more working limb, so that it will bend at the end of the draw to a degree. Not stiff, but not totally working handle either. I got carried away with the cut out as far depth. The off side shelf wood was .500. It is fixed now ,and all is well.