Where should reflex be added?

[blackhawk]

Whether it has a deflexed or straight handle I still prefer to add most my reflex thru mid limbs where the bow will be working the most, and continue to apex the reflex to the tips....and I pretty much detest setback in the handle bows

[Buckeye Guy]

You know it seams that our friends in the large scale fiberglass bow production may be able to help us out with a lot of the questions like this on here I sure there has been more scientific testing on their part with less variables between bows, despite the differences in materials do you think we could drum up answers for things like this from them?

I have not seen any research being done by these folks for many years
I doubt they kept much of what was done
The cam took the front seat and the rest went out the window the way it looks to me !
Folks like Miss Tracey at St Joe river bows or Branden at Rose Oak Creations may have some thoughts but I doubt it if they have any hard facts to help us much !
Have fun
Guy

[Badger]

    It doesn't realy require much research to answer this question, the deflex helps to keep string angles lower so it just makes sense to put the reflex out toward the outer limbs. The lower the string angles the more energy a bow is going to store. When you reflex a bow right out of the handle the limb has to bend into a big loop when you draw it.

[Marc St Louis]

The one advantage to deflex at the handle is that you can make a bow shorter for a given draw length yet still keep wood strain fairly low.  The disadvantage to short bows is that it's harder to get a decent amount of reflex (tip setback) because of the shorter limbs. 

This bow for instance is 56" long and tillered to 28". 
 






Even though it turned out well it's actually too short.  Performance is very good but a longer bow would perform better, better durability as well.  In this case I had to reflex the limbs from the fades right out to the recurves just to have enough tip setback for tillering, that's so I would have some reflex left when finished.  This created problems while tillering the bow, a lot of reflex near the handle causes stability issues.  With a longer bow I would add less reflex near the handle with the majority of the reflex from around mid limb out to near the recurves. 

[Fred Arnold]

Marc, love that unbraced profile. It is similar to my old Red Wing Hunters. How you do it with an all wood bow amazes me. I'm going to give it a go with 60"+ although I don't know how it would hold without backing.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Marc how do you keep those bedroom slippers from filling with chips and dust???.... I use Crocs so I can rinse them off in the utility sink we have!

[vinemaplebows]

You reflexed out of the handle...or deflexed? Looks deflexed?

VMB

[Marc St Louis]

Fortunately I don't tiller with my mocs on and I certainly don't tiller in the living room, my wife wouldn't like that too much.

The deflex is in the handle Brian.