Design Recommendations Please!

[kowishto]

Hey all hope y'all are good. This is my second project, my first was a 30# (yes, thirty  ) red oak board bow so this is my first stave bow. I cut some hickory 9 or 10 months ago and finally got to work on it recently. Right now the dimensions are 58 1/2 " t2t and at it's narrowest point on the limbs its 1 3/4 " wide. I'm not too sure where to go from here.
         
As of right now my only plan is too just taper the whole thing to 1 3/4 " wide and really start taking some belly wood off, but I figured it was smart to ask here first instead of just chopping away.  Looking for recommendations on if I should go for a narrow, stiff handle, thick, stiff handle, or since its such a short stave go for more of a d bow. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[bow101]

Go to this page it has tons of information about building bows. http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/board,6.0.html

[J05H]

First of all, what's your draw length? If its under 25" then a stiff handle is possible but your tiller would have to be spot on. With it being your second bow, I wouldn't recommend it, especially if your draw length is any longer. I'd say with you being new and the stave being so short, you would be better off with a bendy handle design.

Secondly, I'd double check to make sure that hickory is dry. Hickory needs to be really dry and in your area the RH is fairly high most of the year.

[Drewster]

I agree with JO5H.  With a 58 1/2" stave, you're going to be about 56 1/2" or 57" ntn.  Bendy handle for sure.  And yes, hickory must be dry.......6-8%.  In TN, your air dried MC is likely to be around 12% unless you've kept the stave in an air conditioned space or have kept it in a hotbox or similar source of artificial heat.  Good luck and have fun.

[kowishto]

Thanks for the quick replies. My draw length is 28 1/2 inches.  I really wanted to make a bendy handle bow to begin with so that's good news.  I didn't even think about the humidity content, I figured after 9 months or so it would be fine but now I'm in a bit of a pickle I guess...  what are my options?  It's been standing in my garage since the day I split it and I'd imagine it's been (on average) probably 80-85  degrees + and humid until very recently. I have no moisture meter or anything and I definitely don't want to break this piece of wood. it's got some natural reflex to it and I feel like it'd make a good bow.  Thanks for all the help

[wizardgoat]

id keep it 1 3/4,  and mid limb begin to taper to 1/2 tips. maybe wider if you are planning on flipping the tips at all.
9 months is enough time for you to get started on it.  get it to floor tiller, and weigh it. keep checking on it
for a week or more, finish it when it hasnt lost weight for a week straight. if you work in a shop outdoors, bring your bow inside when
your not working on it, and keep it near the furnace, or under your bed

[kowishto]

Thanks wizard thanks everybody i'll make sure to post when I finish the bow

[lebhuntfish]

Post pictures as you progress. Such as the stave, rough out shape, brace, tiller etc. The guys on here are awesome at walking you through a bow. Patrick