The old guy's "low-crown" short bow cross section

[half eye]

Hey fellas,
      was talkin to some friends and trying to describe what I meant by "low-crowned backs and belly's" when tillering my short bendy's. So I thought it might be better to show ya than tell ya.

Made up a example of the outter 1/3 of a bendy bow from the cut-off of a past glue-up. The back is ash and the belly is elm. (dont make a diff if it's backed or self or stave). I start by filing low angle "flats" up to about 6" from the tips. Leave 'em flat and look down the "glare angle" so ya can see if both sides match. Once ya got it lookin good, use the file to round it off to a "low crown"
in the photo the belly is rounded but the back still show the flat planes The only exception to this is if the limbs are so narrown in thickness you would get a "knife" edge the just go with less radius on the corners.

The second photo is the tip end and shows a "rounded rectangle. If you want the tips stiff do it this way. If not then run the low crown all the wat out.

If you tiller out your bow with this cross section it's easy to tweek the bend curve by a few scrapes on the top of the crow. The thicker crown will keep your weight up and the well rounded and thinner edges will help keep the thing from splintering.

Hope it helps visualize it for ya. Mod's feel free to move it cause I wasn't sure regarding the content.
rich

[Parnell]

This is an interesting post, Rich.  So, on your backing and creating that beveled angle, it looks like you may actually file through the backing, possibly.  Do you need to be very careful to not violate the backing strip?

I like it.  I wouldn't mind giving this idea a go down the road - got an Elm board and could pick up some hard maple for backing.  Think that combination would fly for a bow of your design idea?

[MWirwicki]

Great post, Rich! 

[half eye]

Thanks Matt,
 
Parnell, in my experience hard maple on top of elm will make you a really screamer.  I never really though about it but you are right in your assumption (I believe) because I have low crowned several backs where the backer glue line was visible from the front view (which means it must have been feathered out before it hit the actual edge).  While it does not hurt the backed bows it really shines on self bows. Hope that helps answer that question? if not please let me know.
rich

[lesken2011]

Thanks Rich! That clears up a few things for me.

[Don]

Thanks Rich.