When I first read Robert H. Miller's (White Arrow) article in last Month's issue, I laughed through the whole thing. Nothing new under the sun, indeed. I was reading the words of a kindred spirit.
I've built fiberplastic bows (and other stuff) for a bunch of years before developing sensitivities to all the chemicals. I made the switch to wood bows a few years ago. My first wooden bows were selfbows (board and stave) and a few backed. Deflex was really messing with me since I had very little practical knowledge of how to deal with it, or how to prevent it. About a year and a half ago I started asking the same kinds of questions Mr. Miller asks in his article. I eventually came to the same thinking - that if it's redefined as something that's not necessarily bad, maybe it could become an asset to a bow's functionality.
I started working with laminates of different species and playing with the reflex/deflex design since it was the most obvious...to me anyway. Experiments ranging from pre-tillering, prestressing and pre-deflexing and all manners of arranging the laminates in opposed, non-opposed, and wedged and tapered orientations eventually yielded the two designs I've posted examples of on this board - my modest attempts at allowing deflex to contribute to the functionality of a bow.
Anyway, I was wondering what others thought of the article. It'd also be interesting to read from others here how they've dealt with deflex, how they design around it and with it in mind, etc.
Bruce
