where to put the handle?

[goatfarmer67]

seems like a stupid question to me,but i really dont know a whole lot about what i am doing.i was waiting on some hickory that i am supposed
to get this weekend,and made a couple of tillering gizmos.well i wanted to try them out,so,i laminated two 1/8 strips of white oak onto a 3/8
piece that i had.it was only 52 1/2" long.but i figured,what the heck.and only 1 1/8" wide.so i started tillering and gizmoing and ended up with the
bow below.i tillered it on center of the bow.so do i put the handle on center with the arrow pass 2" up,or the arrow pass in the center or what?
i've been shooting it about 1" above and 3" below.btw it is 51 1/2 n2n,and i brace it at about 5".i tillered it out to 26",which is a little short for me,
but i got skeered.it has about 7/8" set and 1 3/8" string follow/set when first unstrung.the reason the tips look funny is because i had to remove
so much material while tillering,yet wanting to leave the last few inches stiff,that they were way thicker when it was all done.so i thinned them.
now it looks like a bendy handled molly,with 3" levers.i didnt expect it to live anyway. i will get a full draw pic when get someone here to snap it.
thanks,ken

[half eye]

Ken,
     You have more than 1/2 the bow length in draw, so that seems really good to me. I make a lot of bows like yours is right now, so just curious howcome ya want a grip glued onto the bow? You can leave it like it is & put yer hand 1" above dead center and shoot it that way (only use the upper half of your bow hand palm.
     If you want to thicken the grip I would like to suggest using 1/8" thick strips and glue them to the belly (maybe 2 or 3) and make them progressively shorter to each other.....centered on the centerline.....then feather-edge them out to nothing. You can get a thicker grip area that is semi-bendy and can be sanded to whatever amount of bend you want. Also the layered grip will keep re-tillering to a minimum.
     Guess that didn't answer yer question but maybe a second option if ya need it.   I really like what ya got going there just the way it is, but that's just a personal like on my part.....great little bow there.
rich

[goatfarmer67]

thanks for the compliments half-eye.my mistake on the question,i wasnt wanting to add a handle,but a wrap
of leather or cord.just not sure on the up and down placement.
here is a rushed full draw pic.
thanks for the help,ken

[half eye]

Ken, put a pencil mark even with yer top finger and one at the bottom of yer hand....and wrap between them....if you want a strike plate just wrap 3/8" higher than yer finger. If you wrap a strike plate make sure to draw/paint a "bowyers mark" on the wrap so ya get yer hand right every time. It's my experience that wraps that go around the bow have very little effect on tiller even if ya glue the wraps so a grip wrap wont screw up yer tiller.....which looks perfect arc of circle to me, that baby's a beaut
rich

[johnston]

Ken that thing is right cute.Funny how just messing with a bow can get involved ain't it?

How much weight is it pulling?

Lane

[bubby]

I find the center of the bow in length, two in. up and two down for a four in. handle, put the grip on and shoot off the knuckle, Bub

[George Tsoukalas]

That bow looks great. You did a good job. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

To answer your question, I typically leave the handle around 4 inches --2 in on either side of center. Sometimes I have to turn the limbs around on a character bow. I shoot 1.25 in above center but sometimes that changes depending on tiller and if I want to weaken or strengthen a limb. Jawge

[goatfarmer67]

thanks for the help everyone.i'll try to get her wrapped up and finished and post a pic.
and i forgot to mention,it pulls 55 lbs at 26".

[PEARL DRUMS]

After building several working handle bows I have learned to let the bow tell me. I grab an arrow spined for the bow and slide my hand up and down the "grip" until the bow shoots and feels good. Then I mark where the arrow passed and wrap my grip starting there. I had been doing the measuring thing and it wasnt consistent from bow to bow I found. I shoot 3 under, that matters.

[goatfarmer67]

thanks pearl drums,i'll play with it for a bit and see how that works out.maybe i will get to like shooting it.right now
i dont really care for it,even though it is quick.
ken

[PEARL DRUMS]

Be very careful with bendy handle bows.................they are addicting Ken! The simplicity and beautiful tiller curve is hard to stay away from.

[Pappy]

Good looking bow,tiller looks nice,I do about like Jawgs and Pearl,I shoot it and make where it shoots  and feels the best and that will be the arrow pass. Never really go with a set measurement or if I do it is only for a starting point. Same with nock setting and brace height.
   Pappy

[ErictheViking]

Nice looking bow Ken, I'm with PD, nothing better looking to me than a simple d-tillered bow at full draw. IMHO.