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Author Topic: Optimum cast  (Read 6839 times)

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Offline Bearded bowyer

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Optimum cast
« on: March 24, 2014, 07:33:29 pm »
Hi everyone.
I have a chap who wants a longbow (it has to be a longbow) Tri laminate, with the maximum possible cast.
He wants it for shooting targets at 100 yards. He wants 60-65lbs draw weight.
I am thinking Hickory/ something/ lemonwood. but would really appreciate any ideas you can give.
I have
Hickory
bamboo
purple heart
ash
beech
maple
lemonwood
sapele
some English yew (not great quality)
Ipe
Iroko

what do you guys think the best combination is........
Whilst we are on the topic of cast  ::) what are thoughts on short/long fat thin....etc.
Remember it has to be a English longbow. ;)
thanks
Matt
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Offline bushboy

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2014, 08:07:49 pm »
I would go with bamboo for the back,maple core and ipe belly glued up in a perry reflex.
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Offline Blaflair2

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2014, 08:13:39 pm »
+1
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Offline Hrothgar

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2014, 08:25:09 pm »
Purple heart looks nice between hickory and lemonwood and seems to be a popular choice from what I see on your side of the pond.
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2014, 08:29:07 pm »
I like maple for cores. I think it is a better choice (performance wise) over all the denser core wood usually used like osage, ipe, bloodwood, etc. I tried ERC once, but the bow blew up.  >:( I think if the thing would of held together, it would of made a good core too. I also like maple backs. I like them better than hickory or bamboo. One of my fav combos so far is boo-maple-hickory. It might not look not as pretty and contrasting as the exotic woods, but it spits an arrow nicely. Especially if the maple used is a lighter maple.


« Last Edit: March 24, 2014, 08:46:57 pm by toomanyknots »
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 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
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Offline adb

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2014, 08:31:31 pm »
I just finished up a bow with maple back, cherry core and osage belly. It is fast for it's 50#.
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Offline Badger

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2014, 11:37:59 pm »
  Just another opinion. I think it is hard to make a 50 elb really efficient with heavy dense woods. If you make them narrow enough they can get unstable. For practicing at 100 yards my choice would be 72" long, maple backed cherry. The cherry and maple are light enough that you can maintain some good width demensions. Maybe 1 1/4: wide with deep cross section. Make the belly only very slightly rounded, almost flat.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2014, 11:40:47 pm »
Badger may be onto something there!  And as the cherry darkens with age, the maple will give it nice contrast. 
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mikekeswick

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2014, 01:56:08 am »
Quote from: Badger on March 24, 2014, 11:37:59 pm
  Just another opinion. I think it is hard to make a 50 elb really efficient with heavy dense woods. If you make them narrow enough they can get unstable. For practicing at 100 yards my choice would be 72" long, maple backed cherry. The cherry and maple are light enough that you can maintain some good width demensions. Maybe 1 1/4: wide with deep cross section. Make the belly only very slightly rounded, almost flat.

+1
Ipe would work but as BAdger says it's about getting the most from it by narrowing. Forget lemonwood, it's flabby and slow in a true elb. Sycamore is another wood that we can get lots of here in England. Personally I might go for a maple backed sycamore.
My fastest bows for this sort of thing have had point on at about 70 yds. Much, much more important than the bow.....are the arrows. Footed and barrelled with a lightish point of 80 or so grains is the way to go.
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Offline zenart

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2014, 04:32:48 am »
Steve, I think he says needs/wants to be Tri-Lam… what would you use then?
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Offline Badger

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2014, 04:39:34 am »
  Ron, for an english long bow the only reason i would use a tri lam would be if I was commited to a heavy dense bellywood, in which case I would chooose a lighter core wood like maple or cherry for instance.
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Offline zenart

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2014, 04:55:09 am »
Steve- So for tri-lam:  if we go by his list of woods he has, and maple is core of preference, then for belly using Ipe is out cuz he'd get too narrow for stability..so how about he use hickory face, maple core, birch or ash belly.. I dunno..the others on list don't sound belly suitable in this config. Keep in mind my very limited experience.
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Offline Badger

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2014, 05:04:14 am »
  He could still use ipe for belly and maple core and manage the mass by using a more elyptical tiller which allows for more mass. I would also not go over about 66" if I were going 50# with ipe.
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blackhawk

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2014, 07:08:07 am »
Guys cherry n osage are not on the op's available list...

Boo maple yew....make the boo narrower than the belly...

I don't know the fellow but 60-65 pounds is a bit much for most folks strictly target shooting these days..especially long distance shooting...is he sure he can handle that? I prefer 45-50 for target shooting...

What's his draw length? Since you didnt state that I can't say what a good length wood be...but I'd go as long as possible...IMO a longer bow is more forgiving of our errors in shooting
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Offline adb

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Re: Optimum cast
« Reply #14 on: March 25, 2014, 09:41:12 am »
I made a tri-lam ELB that went to a guy in California last year, and it was maple back, bloodwood core and yew belly. 72" long, and 1.25" at the handle, with very tiny tips. He was shooting York Rounds or something apparently, and I believe it was out to 70+ yards.
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