Fade advice please

[PEARL DRUMS]

Probably got myself into more trouble with the historians, but that's okay

[DC]

Just don't let any of them bend and add length to the bow limb accordingly.

Thanks PD . I'm having trouble understanding what I quoted. I was under the impression that no matter what length the purpose of fades was to gradually decrease the movement from limb to handle. In my mind that meant that halfway along the fade the movement was roughly cut in half.  You say no bend?? Also why wouldn't I want to add length to the limb?
Sorry for all the questions. I just have to understand how things work. It doesn't work for me that they just do

[PEARL DRUMS]

The gradual stopping is done in the limb prior to the fades with a thickness taper. I'm not sure a guy could get the bend to stop half way up a 2" fade. you'd have much better eyes than me. 

[DC]

Alright! The light came on. One more thing to keep in mind. Thanks

[Dances with squirrels]

They can flex into the fades/dips. I do it often. Whether, and how much that's possible depends some on design and construction methods. Bending beyond the flares though calls for quite sophisticated design and tillering. Luck within mistakes won't get us there with any degree of predictably.... though more primitive folks did it. That's incredible to me.

[PatM]

 Even a well executed fade is flexing to some degree. It takes an I-Beam through a handle to stop it from flexing at all, so you can appreciate how a fade has to be flexing.

   The best test is to take a straight through the handle bow with  what seem to be non-flexing fades and place a straight edge across the back of the handle  when the bow is strung. You will see daylight between the straight edge and the fade.

[Josh B]

Not to disagree with the hacks point, BUT bend through the fades and handle designs do have their place.  Especially if your trying for a longer draw short bow with a wood that does better with more width than is practical for an arrow pass/handle.  You can narrow the handle area, tiller it to bend less than the wider limbs and still benefit with a little extra draw than if the limbs alone were working.  The fade area of course being the transition point from the heavier bending limbs to the flatter bending handle.  It's not easy to get right, but it does work.  Josh

[Dances with squirrels]

Yep. It does. 'work'.

[Dances with squirrels]

Pat, some, including myself, would say a well executed fade 'should' be flexing... to some degree.

Why stop it from flexing at all?

I concur with what else you said.

[PatM]

Pat, some, including myself, would say a well executed fade 'should' be flexing... to some degree.

Why stop it from flexing at all?

I concur with what else you said.

I agree but I tend to limit it to incidental rather than getting too deliberate about it. The one downside is  that the necked in portion of a handle exposes the back edge to the increased potential for popping splinters right there.
   We've seen  more than a few bows on here that have crossed that tipping point.

 The wood choice or backing and grain orientation also play a role in that. What might hold together forever in a tangled grain wood can blow an edge splinter in a straight grain wood.

[PEARL DRUMS]

At least I got the winters snow dusted off your collective brains for a few hours

[BowEd]

A note I've seen here.As proof a fade does work to a degree I've seen bows lose a couple of pounds draw weight after carving the handle out[supposed to be a stiff handled bow] and after reaching draw weight and length of draw.I'm sure other fellas have too but it can surprise ya when you see it for the first time not expecting it.