Bend In The Handle Bow

[Bowclan]

I have not made a bend in the handle type bow before, so I would appreciate some suggestions. I am going to use a bamboo backing and action boo core. I would like it to be between 63"-66" ntn, which ever would be best. I like narrow limb on the nock end. My draw is about 27" and I want a bow in the 45# range.

So I guess I am asking for basic demensions, limb width, thickness, taper and handle size

[Kegan]

My best bows are long D bows, pulling about 70-80#. For 45#, I'd make it 66", 1 1/2" wide in the center two feet, tapering gently to 3/8" nocks. It should be about 5/8" thick at the grip and 3/8" thick at the tips for an arc-of cirlce tiller, or 5/8" at the grip and 1/4" at the tips for a slightly more eliptical tiller. I would glue in about 2" or Perry reflex.

Bob should be able to tell you alot more though, so I'd wait for him to chime in .

[1/2primitive]

What's your belly wood?
Not to dissagree with Kegan, but if you have a wood like osage, you should be safe with a bow even shorter than the length you gave. If you use the twice draw length measure for bend in the handle bows, you should end up with a bow that's about 54-56", you can give a little more length if you want, resulting in a bow aprox. 58-60". Depending on the belly wood, with 45 lb I would make it about 1 1/4" wide in the middle, tapering to nocks about 3/8" or even smaller. I like my bows little. 
    Sean

[Badger]

I would tend to agree more with 1/2 on the width, 1 1/8 would be plenty wide enough. Steve

[Bowclan]

54" bow hmmmmm. Sean I was looking at all bamboo, but now you got me thinking.

Steve are you talking 1 1/8 with the 66" ntn?

On the handle, I'm getting that it's about the same thickness as it is wide. And if it is 1 1/8 that would be the same width of where the arrow rest would be?

[Badger]

I think at about 62" the narrow wiidth would be ok. bendy handle bows need to be very light in order to shoot well.  If I were making a boo backed bow at about 100# bendy handle I might go 1 1/4 wide. Instead of using a cut in handle just use a piece of leather on the side of the bow. Steve

[Kegan]

I think at about 62" the narrow wiidth would be ok. bendy handle bows need to be very light in order to shoot well.  If I were making a boo backed bow at about 100# bendy handle I might go 1 1/4 wide. Instead of using a cut in handle just use a piece of leather on the side of the bow. Steve

Bendy handle bows don't need to be light to shoot well

Making it wider reduces stress, kinda like a flatbow and a D bow "mated"

Sean- I like longer bows. I missed four squirrels at just a couple feet away last season with a 62" bow. So, I like 'em longgg .

Where's Bob for his take on it ?

[stiknstring]

If you are making a D bow then I would take advantage of the design and go shorter like steve suggests.  If you miss with a short bow I got news for you buddy...its not the bow its the "indian".  I have seen them as short as 55 inches for draws as long as 28 inches with osage.  There was a really beautiful boo backed osage in the last ABC contest posted on the Bowyers Journal site. I have heard of shorter but have not seen them Check out some of the ambush bows that were posted. It is true that longer bows are more forgiving of shooter error than shorter bows but to me its about becoming better at using what I create as well as the creation itself.

[Bowclan]

"If you miss with a short bow I got news for you buddy...its not the bow its the "indian"."

That's funny

Thanks for all the advice.

[Badger]

62" for a bendy handle bow would not be considered a short bow, pretty average i would think. Steve

[1/2primitive]

Yeah, I like to push the limits. On an all boo bow, I might make it about 52-54" long with mini recurves in the ends.
     Sean

[Bowclan]

"On an all boo bow, I might make it about 52-54" long with mini recurves in the ends."

Sean I thought you said making it short like that if it had an osage belly?

[Kegan]

Most of my bows (D's) are about 70" long and can hit a paper plate sized target at 45 yards on a good day. Longer bows let you be lazy ! And if you don't like it, you can take it off later .

[1/2primitive]

Osage and bamboo are both strong in compression, so both of them would work.
Kegan, that's good shooting. I need to practice a little more than once a week or so.
As a matter of fact, I was going to make a long board bow sometime soon. But most of mine are bend in the handle, no longer than 50" for my 24" draw length.
     Sean

[mullet]

  If you are going to use Action wood for the belly and Boo for the back I think you might be disappointed in the cast. I've made one and it is kinda wimpy at 55#.