Best way to pull out reflex

[DC]

I reflexed this Doug Maple on the caul I normally use. I steamed and then heat treated it and instead of relaxing a bit it took the exact shape of the caul. It has 8" of reflex. I'm sure a bunch of it will pull out. I plan on deflexing the handle but I thought I would try to get some of the reflex out first so I have a better idea how much to deflex it. I've exercised it about 50-60 times and it hasn't changed. Do you think that a steady strain(much like bracing it) for a few hours would assist in pulling out some reflex or should I continue exercising it?

[Badger]

  Some will pull out when you tiler I imagine, I don't think it is a good idea to just strain it out all though with that much reflex you would still have a good shooter if you maintained 1/2 of it.  I am really impressed with your work here lately. I bet Mark is honored you chose his styles to model after. Mark is not an easy act to follow.

[DC]

Thank you very much for the compliments but I think I just chose to copy the right guy .  I just thought that if I could somehow pull some out some of the reflex I wouldn't have to second guess the deflex. But now that you mention it the bulk of the pull-out does come later in the tillering. Maybe I'll try tillering it a bit more before I deflex. I'm just kind of clueless as to how much draw weight I will lose per degree of deflex. On another note, do you think that the draw length on a deflexed bow is extended equal to the amount deflexed. Like if I deflex the tips back 1" does that extend the draw length by 1"?

[Pat B]

You might be better using heat to remove some of the reflex. I've done it a bit with naturally reflexed staves. With that much reflex you can over strain the bow just getting it to brace.

[TorstenT]

How about making the deflex close to the handle, that you already mentioned, rather steep? That would result in a neet R/D shape, don’t you think?

[DC]

Good thought Pat. There seems to be  a bit of a paradox here, if you just put in a little reflex it will pull out but if you get stupid about it, it stays
Torsten- I plan on splicing the handle and putting some deflex in. I prefer spliced in rather than steamed in. It just seems easier to tiller without the extra bend.

[Bayou Ben]

That's some aggressive reflex you got there.  I agree you don't want to strain the bow to relieve some of it. 

"On another note, do you think that the draw length on a deflexed bow is extended equal to the amount deflexed. Like if I deflex the tips back 1" does that extend the draw length by 1"?"

I would be interested to see the answer to that question as well.  Seems that there's too much going on to give a rule of thumb like 1" deflex equals 1" extra draw, but I'm sure guys like Marc who have a lot of experience with deflexed handles can estimate. 

[bjrogg]

I agree with Badger D.C. Your knocking out some pretty awesome bows.
I think if you asked Ed he'd tell you to reverse string that baby lay a couple courses of sinew on and put it by the wood stove for several months. Then you could put some horn on the belly and tiler it out. Just kidding but sure looks like the start of one of Ed's composites.
Bjrogg

[bushboy]

If you placed belly side up and barclamped in the middle and heated appling heat and slowly tighten the clamp it would work I think ?but I've never worked dm.

[Marc St Louis]

I don't know what that species of Maple is like for strength in tension but I made several like that many years ago out of Elm, BL and HHB.  That amount of reflex is manageable, just a bit tricky to tiller

Here is a picture of the first Elm bow I ever heat-treated, this is the one I wrote an article on.  You can see that it has a fair amount of reflex

[bjrogg]

Looks nasty Marc
Bjrogg

[DC]

Is that the finished bow Marc or did some of that reflex pull out? It is, as you put it, a fair amount

[bjrogg]

I'd like to read the article on that one.
Bjrogg

[Bob Barnes]

"Burnt Offerings"?  I remember that bow/article  Marc...
I think sinew and that profile could be magic..   

[Danzn Bar]

Sinew and osage is magic.....