"Ideal Bow"

[Wooden Spring]

So, my copy of "Archery The Technical Side" just came in, and in a 1932 article by Paul E. Klopsteg, he gives his research for what he calls a "high efficiency, rectangular section bow." He goes on to say: "Reviewing the characteristics of the new type of bow, we may recall that its limbs bend in true circular arcs, with uniform stress throughout; that the limbs return from the drawn to the braced position in shorter time than do the limbs of any other shape about which we have information; that there is less wood in the limbs than in a corresponding bow of conventional limb section. The fiber stresses, i.e., the tensile and compressive forces to which the limbs are subjected, in a given weight bow of the new form, are less than in a corresponding bow of the conventional type, which permits the new bow to be made shorter if the archer wishes to have it so."

Also interesting to note were the experiments done to prove that narrow, light nocks are no faster than heavy, fat nocks. There were no appreciable differences in arrow velocity by having narrow, light nocks. (gasp! blasphemy!)

The book goes on to use math to prove the point, but I wanted to put this out there for review by those who know a LOT more about bows than I do. What's your practical experience with a bow like this? 

[Onebowonder]

This is a basic pyramid design if I read it correctly isn't it?

OneBow

[Wooden Spring]

This is a basic pyramid design if I read it correctly isn't it?

OneBow

Pretty much, yeah. The only difference from the traditional pyramid design that I'm familiar with is:
1) the length. This bow's limbs are around 3' long each. Most of us build limbs around 30" long
2) the tips. The tips on this bow are parallel, at around 1/2" wide. The limbs actually come to a point at the nock, and the parallel tips intersect the limbs at around 8-10" down the limb.

[Dances with squirrels]

Asymmetrical too....

[Wooden Spring]

Asymmetrical too....

Yeah, I noticed that. I've never built an asymmetrical bow before... I have a hard enough time balancing out limbs that are supposed to be EQUAL!! 

[nakedfeet]

I think it's a good design, pretty basic really.  And I think it's quite attractive when the width isn't super high near the handle.

[George Tsoukalas]

Pyramid bows should have circular tillers. Most of the bending should happen where most of the wood is to decrease set. So yes the limbs would return faster in a well constructed bow.

In a Meare Heath,  style bow, the tiller should be elliptical.

I do not have the book. I am wondering if he compared the 2 styles.

In my experience, narrowing the last ) inces or so and trimming the nicks helps with speed.
Jawge

[Wooden Spring]

Any comments on the length of the bow? The upper, longest limb is nearly 3 feet long... 

[Badger]

   One thing I have always found interesting is that their doesn't seem to be a nickels worth of difference in the designs if they are properly executed. I may have designs that work better for me but someone else may have one that works for them. If you are just talking straight bows I find about 170 fps plus or minus a little is about as good as it gets, some exceptions of course. I have seen nearly every design you can imagine hit that number, including bendy handle flat longbows and elbs. I do believe narrowing the tips can add some speed. I don't narrow mine anywhere near what I used to simply because I am willing to give up one or two fps for some durability if I bup to bow on something.

[Wooden Spring]

OK, so let's see what the bow looks like when properly proportioned. For these drawings, the bow is symmetrical.

On the far right, we have the bow as described in the original layout, 1-5/8" wide, tapering to a point at the location of the nocks. The 1/2" wide nocks are parallel, and intersect the bow limb about 10" down. The bow is 78" long, NTN.

In the middle, the bow is kept at 78" long, but the parallel nock is this time drawn at the minimum 8" long. In order to do this, an angle is first drawn from the nock to a point 8" down and 1/4" out. This line is then projected back along the length of the bow. Where the projected line continues back along the limb, a section of parallel limb is required to maintain the nock length.

On the left is the same principle as the previous bow, but at 68" NTN.

[Aaron H]

Looks like a stretched out Andaman-holmeggard style bow

[DaveMac]

Surely the yew / lemonwood LL is a misprint. A lower limb 4 foot 7 inches long...

Looking at the osage dimensions I'd say it was meant to be 35"

[Wooden Spring]

Surely the yew / lemonwood LL is a misprint. A lower limb 4 foot 7 inches long...

Looking at the osage dimensions I'd say it was meant to be 35"

Yeah, that has GOT to be the case, "35" instead of "55." Hence the existence of future printings. This was a first printing in 1947, so I'm sure that got fixed.

[Badger]

  Those bows look a lot like Tims mojam bow.

[Selfbowman]

Steve the pecan bow? I will be trying some of these designs with a Arvin twist. They look efficient to me.