Set

[bow101]

If a bow takes on to much set like 2 1/2" to 3 inches how does that affect performance and/or durability..?

[SLIMBOB]

Are we talking set or string follow?  If you started with 3 inches of backset and are now even, that's one thing. If you started even and now have 3 inches of string follow, different story.

[bow101]

Are we talking set or string follow?  If you started with 3 inches of backset and are now even, that's one thing. If you started even and now have 3 inches of string follow, different story.

I don't get ya,  what is string follow.  What I'm talking about is a totally flat bow and ends up with 3 inches of set after exercising.

[Weylin]

What slimbob was trying to get at was the difference between set and string follow. There are different ways to interpret those terms but the most commonly accepted way is as follows. Set is the total amount the tips have moved towards the string from the starting point of the original stave. If the stave had 3" of reflex to start with but your final bow has 1" of reflex then your bow would have taken 2" of set but it wouldn't have any string follow because... String follow is merely the distance that the tips are past the neutral plane. String follow doesn't take into account the "history" of the bow. If the tips are 2" inches past the neutral plane (2" of deflex) then the bow is considered to have 2" inches of string follow. Maybe the bow started with 4" of reflex and took six inches of set to get to that point or maybe the stave started with 2" of natural deflex and took no set at all. Only the bowyer knows how much set a bow took but anyone can measure the string follow. Hope that makes sense. There are other ideas out there and I suspect someone will quibble with me but this is the way that I think most people view the two terms.

So to help answer your original question. If the bow started straight and took 3" of set (giving it 3" of string follow  ) then it will very likely have a noticable impact on the the preformance of the bow. The bow will likely feel spongy and have little early draw weight. the cast will likely be noticably slower than a similar bow without the set. If the set is all in one place then there was a tillering problem and that will likely make for a shorter lifespan on the bow as it continues to fail in that one spot but if the set is evenly distributed along the whole bow it was more likely a result of either green wood or a bow that either too short, too narrow or both. In that case the bow's life span would probably not be impacted by the set. If anything it may last longer as it is now under less stress because it "gave up" a little.

[SLIMBOB]

Perfect!

[bubby]

after it sits does it go back flat or lose mose of that 2 1/2" - 3"? if it does it is string follow

[Weylin]

To clarify my definition, (and not to disagree with bubby) some people factor in the difference between a bow that has just been shot vs. one that has been at rest for a time. It sounds like bubby's definition of string follow is directly related to that difference. I've seen people describe it that way before and I agree that it's a relevant factor but it can confuse the definitions when people are having a conversation about set vs.string follow.

In my opinion the only measurement of set OR string follow that is relevant to the performance of the bow has to be taken immediately after the bow has been shot because that's the state of the bow when you're shooting it. It's fairly irrelevant what the bow does an hour after you shoot it, because that's not when a bow is doing it's job. That being said it makes me feel a little better to see a bow of mine lose some of it's set after it has rested.

[SLIMBOB]

Weylin and I are in agreement here. Regardless of how much the bow may recover its nice to see, but not relevant (hate to disagree with nubby as I have a healthy respect for his bows) to the string follow question. What does it look like when first unstrung. If it has 3 inches of string follow, for me it has crossed over into poor performer territory. I have bows that have varying amounts of string follow. Performance falls as string follow increases. A bit of follow is acceptable and even desirable in some cases, but 3 inches is a bunch...to me.
That would be "bubby". Damn autocorrect.

[bushboy]

I have a couple of bamboo backed elm bows that took a couple of " of set after thousands of shots,they were glued up flat and they still out preform most of my other bows with less set.maybe it's the bamboo or my other bows just suck!lol!

[bow101]

So to help answer your original question. If the bow started straight and took 3" of set (giving it 3" of string follow  )

Thanks that clarifys things.   But what you said above set and string follow are sort of the same in that sense.  At any rate I wanted to re-tiller the bow thats where I made the mistake of taking off to much material in fade area.  The outer third was stiff, thats where I should of stayed with.
I noticed the set after scraping the fades.
Having said that the bow was originally 50# @28, got it down to 45# #28, happy with that, I have pulled the bow to 30" without any cracks/ chrysalis or more set. Just have to shoot it in.  Chalk it up for another failure, "keep on learning, keep on building"


     I would like to post photos here and there but the camera is my wifes and the software is loaded on her computer, so its like pulling teeth to get 'er to download my photos. ...
 

[Joec123able]

If any of mine take more than 2.5 inchs i call it trash and use it to experient around with

[huisme]

http://i.imgur.com/wQBIsZ3.jpg

there are a lot of opinions on this. I say if a bow shoots well, it shoots well; set/string follow aren't all that important.

[bubby]

I don't disagree with weylin or slimbob, I was just saying follow is affected by the effects  being strung and shot and recovers, set is permanent, an excess of either is bad juju  and robbs the bow of performance

[Del the cat]

huisme +1

My first Yew ELB has a ton of set (you can get 4 fingers between it's grip and a straight edge) it's been over drawn and has dropped from 75# to 68# but can still throw a heavy war arrow to clout distance.
I also have a little Hazel bow with a ton of set but it shoots sweet as heck.
Gotta ask, would you rather have some set or a smashed bow? ..... errr... that'll be some set please.
But as Joec says, you can always use it to experiment with stuff like heat treating if it offends your sensibilities.
Del

[mikekeswick]

http://i.imgur.com/wQBIsZ3.jpg

there are a lot of opinions on this. I say if a bow shoots well, it shoots well; set/string follow aren't all that important.

I would have to point out that the amount of set a bow takes makes a large difference to it's arrow speed - fact. However shootability isn't necessarily linked to arrow speed. Also arrow speed (unless measured by a chrono) is highly subjective. One persons speed demon may well be anothers dog of a bow. All things are relative.
At the end of the day you want to be aiming for less than 2 inches of set or else summat ain't right.