Question on short reflex deflex bows

[sleek]

Also, Sleek can I assume the fps numbers you are reporting are for 10 gpp arrows? Those are solid arrow velocities for such a short bow. You are obviously doing a lot of things right.

I had been gearing up and focusing entirely on the flight shoot I just came back from and had completely slipped my mind about the 10gpp reference. The arrow for the broad head shoot is 450 grains and we shoot a 50 pound bow. So, no, mybarrow and speed i gave you were NOT 10gpp, but 9 gpp. So im upper 170, right close to 180 fps with a 10gpp. Im sorry for being misleading there, I guess I just hadn't switched my brain off from the flight shoot yet.

[sleek]

Most recently I have been playing with bows that are about as long (tip-to-tip) as I am tall, so about 67 inches. They shoot well and draw smooth, but the areas I hunt have lots of brush which makes getting a clean draw and release a challenge sometimes.

If I averaged all of the bows I have made, the length would probably be around 55 or 56 inches. I enjoy hunting with shorter bows more than longer ones, and of course it is easier to find (and cheaper to buy) nice, straight, clean short staves than it is finding longer ones.

id like to see your shorter bows and what performance you get from them.

[DC]

Sleek when you measure a recurve do you follow the belly? The 52" one I made(following the belly) seemed like it was bent awful tight at 24". With the handle and the recurves there's not a lot of limb left.

[sleek]

Sleek when you measure a recurve do you follow the belly? The 52" one I made(following the belly) seemed like it was bent awful tight at 24". With the handle and the recurves there's not a lot of limb left.

Yes I follow the back actually. Really I start with a 54 inch stave and go from there.

[DC]

Same as I did. Mine is 52". I guess the big hooks used up too much working limb.

[Marc St Louis]

I recall that Marc St Louis posted years ago about a short bamboo-backed yew d-r bow that he felt did not perform all that well. Any other data points out there? By short, I am thinking in the 50-60 inch range. My next project will probably be a 55 inch bow, and I might invest the time to make it a deflex-reflex if it seems like the performance benefits hold at that short length.

The bow I made, actually there were 3 bows of a similar shape, had a lot of deflex in the handle.  I made these bows so that they are short but can handle a 28" draw and I think it was this amount of deflex which compromised performance.  That amount of deflex introduces unwanted problems

These are a couple of the bows I am referring to

[Eric Garza]

Marc, so you think a more modest amount of deflex would have benefitted the bows? How much handle deflex do you think would be ideal for a R-D self bow?

[DC]

Those are the bows that got me going. I use about 11° deflex and I did a quick measure off the screen, so it's not that accurate, and Marc's are in the 30-35° range. The limbs look very similar.

Beautiful bows Marc

[sleek]

Marc, how long are those bows? What performance were you getting  from them, and have you made any that are self bows?

[Marc St Louis]

Yes less deflex is better for performance but then the limbs start to suffer at the longer draw.  i think the ideal is around 10 ~ 15 degrees

Both of those bows are in the low 50" range

[Eric Garza]

I assume lower deflex would be easier on the limbs with a shorter draw then? 24 or 25 inches rather than 28?

[Marc St Louis]

With short bows yes.  There's only so much stress wood will take, short working limbs equals short draw

have you made any that are self bows?

This is the first highly deflexed bow I ever made.  It was an Osage selfbow that was 56" long overall and pulled 65# @ 28".  If I was to re-make such a bow I would change certain things, the recurves are way too big