Pyramid bow thickness

[Jjpso]

Hello everybody.

I am doing a red or white oak (not sure wich one is) board bow.
It is 66" tip to tip, whit 4" handle an 2"  fades.
The limb width starts at 2 1/4" tappering to 1/2" tip.
I REALLY want it to be a 50-55# bow.

My doubt is about the thickness it should be.

Do you think:

1. I should go for a constant thickness, and if so how much should it be, taking in consideration the draw weigth i a am looking for?
In this case should i tiller only in the width, not in the thickness?

Or

2. I should also tapper the thickness? The board i'm using is almost 3/4" thick, do you think i should tapper it from 3/4" at the fades to, lets say, 1/2" at the tip?

I really would like to get it rigth, because every bow i've made have ended up 40/45 #...

Can someone help me on this?

Thanks.

Joao from Portugal.

[bubby]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,35312.0.html
this will give you the info you need

[Wooden Spring]

Jipso,
See the attachment below, this is how I build flatbows. I haven't built a 50-55# oak bow, but I've been very close to that. Take a look and see if this helps you out at all.

If I had to make a guess, I'd say try 3" wide at the fades, tapering to 1/2" wide at the nocks, and an even thickness of 1/2". You can tweak the dimensions during tillering.

[Pappy]

Not sure on white oak but I have built a lot of Hickory, 66 n-n 2 inches at the fads tapered to 1/2 tips 4 inch handle 1 1/2 fads start at about 5/8 limb thickness
all the way but will usually wind up about 1/2 thickness and easily make 50 lbs @ 27.
   Pappy

[bubby]

Like Pappy said 2" at the fades is plenty wide

[bubbles]

Yep, I've made a few following bubby's build along exactly. Only thing I would add, with red oak, maybe a smidge above 1/2" in thickness, especially for 55#.  My red oak pyramids are right at 1/2" at the fades.

[Jjpso]

Thaks everyone for the opinion.

I decided to go with a 1,4 cm all the way (0,55").
Do you think i should tiller only in the width or can i rasp in the belly also?

I think that if i am reduced to width tillering only, i will have to reduce much more everytime i need to make a correction, am i rigth?

Best regards

Joao from Portugal.

[Pappy]

I usually take it off the belly until I get pretty close to weight and draw length and do the fine tuning off the sides.
 Pappy

[Joec123able]

I'm surprised someone hasn't said it yet but there is no set thickness you just remove wood slowly and carefully to get it where you want it to be. Now a certain thickness might get you close or around your desired weight but it isn't going to work perfect every piece of wood is different there's a lot of variables

[Pappy]

Guess we shouldn't assume anything around here,I assumed everyone knew that.   Good point and very true.
 Pappy

[Jjpso]

I'm surprised someone hasn't said it yet but there is no set thickness you just remove wood slowly and carefully to get it where you want it to be. Now a certain thickness might get you close or around your desired weight but it isn't going to work perfect every piece of wood is different there's a lot of variables

I understand that, i just looking for a "starting point"...
Thanks for your opinion..