Any Love for the Straight Limb Design? (Beginner Bowyer Help)

[RedSpectre]

Hey.

I am by no means an experienced bowyer which is honestly why I'm coming to the pros about this.

In fact the first and only bow I've ever made is a 60 red oak pyramid board bow that's approximately 15#@29".

/)_-

I love me some r/d longbows and I own a 3 pc t/d black hunter but the more I look into the straight stave D bows, the more I'm starting to become a real fan of it's simplicity.

But everytime I look for what makes this design remotely courtable on google, I get a whole load of info that takes a heaping dump all over this design compared to its heat bended counterparts.

The questions I ask are these:

1. How could I make a straight stave pyramid bow design more effective?  The only think I can think of, is adding something like a siyah or stiffer outer limb but this probably only severely highlights my inexperience on the subject.

2. I heard from some guy on a video on why he enjoyed straight limbed bows over recurves talk about arrow speed vs arrow cast.

  Saying that, as an example, recurves give an initial speed of 200 but drop down over a large distance vs straights which are slower at 180 but maintain that 180 for a lot longer due to simple and direct energy transference.

Not sure if this is a load of bull but it may explain the fabled stability i keep reading about when people compare. Is there any validity to this?

Either way.  Many of you have been building bows longer than I've been alive, if anyone could weigh in on this and guide me on how I can fully utilize the strengths that come with a straight limbed classic d bow shape or improve its performance (ideally within the confines of 30-35lbs) I would be EXTREMELY grateful.

I don't care about neckbreaking speed as much as I care about energy efficiency and power.

As they say, speed doesn't matter if you're just missing fast.

Thank you in advance.

[bownarra]

You've been doing too much reading! This is the problem with the internet - no way of know what is correct and what isn't!
Anyway a straight limbed pyramid is probably one of the most efficient designs out and is where you should concentrate your efforts in my opinion. Do not alter it, adding recurves etc is not the way to go. Just go make a perfect pyramid and then tell me it doesn't shoot beautifully
Forget that nonsense about recurves/longbows holding speed....that really is funny and shows the intended audience!

[Del the cat]

Make a bow... make the next one better... when you feel you've mastered the simple, try the more complex... after you've mastered that, realise there is beauty in the simple and go back to the beginning.
There is no shortage of techniques to apply to straight simple bows, plenty of variety of timber, style length etc everything from a short Native American bow to a 7' 150# Warbow 
Del

[bjrogg]

What Del and bownarra said.
Bjrogg

[PatM]

Where is the video link to that nonsense?

[SLIMBOB]

Write down and carry with you what Del said.  On top of being nearly poetic it is spot on truth.

[Marc St Louis]

Saying that, as an example, recurves give an initial speed of 200 but drop down over a large distance vs straights which are slower at 180 but maintain that 180 for a lot longer due to simple and direct energy transference.

Somebody needs to go back to school

[Badger]

    A well made straight limb bow is hard to beat and still my favorite. The simple design is not that much slower than the most complicated designs in most cases. Not as prone to taking set as higher stressed designs and this is really the biggest thing in self bow performance.

[Badger]

Saying that, as an example, recurves give an initial speed of 200 but drop down over a large distance vs straights which are slower at 180 but maintain that 180 for a lot longer due to simple and direct energy transference.

Somebody needs to go back to school

  When I first discovered the internet and PA I made a statement one time that my bows were really slow but they hit hard! I had no concept of arrow weights affecting speed. Later I discovered that my homemade arrows weighed over 1,000 grains.

[dylanholderman]

Pretty much what everyone else has already said
I like making ELB and Native American style bend in the handle longbows, there really is something to be said for simplicity. I like the clean lines and reliability of a simple bow.
 And if I wanted to chase speed records I would be using glass and carbon 

[George Tsoukalas]

Tim Baker won Mojam years ago with a straight limbed, pyramid (?) pecan board bow.

My advice concentrate on getting experience making bows.

Then, you can make complicated designs and figure out what you can do to make them better.

Start with a good tiller.

Jawge

[RedSpectre]

This is why I love stalking this site.  You guys are super helpful and passionate about this stuff.

I'll go make some more then.

 Last question would be on length choice.  I would like to stick to 60-62" if feasible with the straight limb but pulling 30'.  Max of 30#-50#.

Is this a tall order?  What am I to expect in this case?

Where is the video link to that nonsense?

Gotcha covered, pa.  Be nice though lol.

https://youtu.be/BsyLd2esFf4

[Pat B]

For a 30" draw you, as a beginner should make a bow of 68"+.Why do you need/want a 60" bow? As long as you are familiar with your surroundings you shouldn't have problems with longer bows.
Like George said, concentrate on getting experience with making a well tillered bow then go from there. A pyramid bow with siyah(sp) is no longer a straight limb bow. Once you have learned proper tillering learn to shoot well. It's not the bow that makes the shot, it's the nut behind the string that does. 

[TimBo]

You will enjoy shooting a longer bow (like Pat said, 68"+) a lot more at that draw length, and it will be much easier to build one successfully.  You could also explore using a shorter draw if you really want a shorter bow.  The specs you mention are really maxing things out even for experienced bowyers. (Again, after you make a few, you may be able to reach them with prime bow wood.)

[RedSpectre]

Understood then.

Thanks a bunch, guys.  I'll humble myself and get right on it.