Even MORE R/D questions!

[Kegan]

Okay, I've become seemingly obsessed with this design . Lately I've been thinking and the thought so far is that the relfex in the limbs work like stiff tips, only reflexed at the very tips- stable, reduce vibration, blah blah blah. I really have no idea how it works, but I've heard lots of people say that it makes a superior bow.

So how much should I put it?

I'm working on a short (63") Osage longbow from a really nice stave from Mullet, and at first I heated in a radical R/D shape- looked alot like a recurve. When I took the heat gun to temper the belly, it sorta straightenned out, but the shape is definately there. It looks alot like the amount in most FG bows I see, and people seem to be obsessed with it like that.

So I'm curious- with R/D, does a little go a long way towards improving performance/stability?

[Pat B]

I think a little goes a long way and a lot can be too much. You are adding stress to the bow and there is a happy medium as to what will be positive and what is negative.

[Keenan]

 I would agree with what Pat said. There is a balance of pros and cons in everything. I like to do a mild reflex. Somewhere between a recurve and a straight long bow design. But more like a slight deflexed long bow with a mild reflex starting mid limb to the tips. For me it is because most the bows that I make are shorter and it helps string angle,ease of bracing ,early draw weight and overall profile.
 I like the reflex to be able to "unfold" slightly and work at the same degree that the rest of the limbs are moving.

[Kegan]

Thanks guys . I'll take some photos tonight. Right now, it just looks 'right' compared to the semi-recurve it was before.

[Ryano]

The only thing I can tell you is add more reflex than what you want the bow to finsh up with because you will lose a lot of it during tillering and shoot in. Other than that its kind of a trial and error thing until you find something that works for you.

[Kegan]

Thanks for the tip Ryan. Here's the bow at the moment. As you can see, the shape isn't very extreme, but I feel alot more comfortable with it. The belly is heavily tempered, and I intend to back it with sinew, so I don't see it taking too much set, not that I mind a ittle string follow anyway.

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[dragonman]

I  have put up to 3" of reflex into bows (backed type) and I'm not convinced they are faster, ( i need a chronograph) than my best straight bow, but the reduced string angle definately makes a sweeter draw , it makes an increase also in early draw weight, which also makes , I believe, a bow more comfortable to draw and aim.

[Kegan]

I  have put up to 3" of reflex into bows (backed type) and I'm not convinced they are faster, ( i need a chronograph) than my best straight bow, but the reduced string angle definately makes a sweeter draw , it makes an increase also in early draw weight, which also makes , I believe, a bow more comfortable to draw and aim.

Those qualities alone would be enough for me . I can always boost speed by simply shooting heavier weights, and now I'm using FF for strings also (not alot of speed, but should help efficiency a bit).