Possible drawlength 62"

[Chris3kilo]

Maybe it depends on the type of wood?

[wizardgoat]

I know what your saying badger, but I don't believe a bow with bad set has necessarily failed.
Failed to me means broken, but to you it may mean something different.
Chris, if a narrow bow is what your after, then you'll have to go long as others have stated.
For a 30" draw, shortest I'd go is 64-66" with a slightly bending handle and recurves.
If your new to making bows I'd recommend going even longer 68-72"
I recently made a bow for a very big guy, nearly 70# at 34", I tillered it to 35", and the bow is 79" with a stiff handle

[Chris3kilo]

It'll be a 25" Drawlength bow for my girlfriend then. I'll continue the hunt for a more suitable stave for myself. Finding the right stave is as exciting as making the bow anyway I thank you for your expertise wich I gotta trust with all these awesome bows I see on this site

[Chris3kilo]

And perhaps I'll try to keep a open mind for wider limbs.  because I do like shorter bows.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I myself never cared for limbs over 1.5" wide, but I have come to realize the benefits in certain woods and gladly make them up to 2" wide to make the best bow I can.

[Chris3kilo]

They are just best looking that way!
So my last thought is deflex.. wouldn't that alliw for a higher drawlength.
And how is it bend, because that part of the bow is, on my bows, pretty thick?

[bradsmith2010]

there are many different effective ways to tiller a bow,,,, deflex,, reflex,, etc etc,, etc,,,,,
but a nice straight stave bow can shoot amazing,,and is not that complicated to make,, I would suggest,, just making a great shooting ,, simple design bow at first,, you will not be dissapointed with the cast or performance,, or the durability ,,,
as your experience increases,, of course try anything,,
your straight stave bow will still be hitting the mark,,

[Chris3kilo]

I have made a 40# 62" long 25"DL longbow from a hazel sapling 2-3 weeks ago. It wasn't pretty but it shoots fine (for a noob archer)
That one fits my gf too. So I do have some extra energi to put into a new bow. That's why I wouldn't mind playing around and possibly breaking this bow.

[Chris3kilo]

Well i would mind, but I'd still have something to shoot

[freke]

Hazel is good, and you should have no big issue to find suitable lenght, and very easy to work.

[Chris3kilo]

Agreed freke. Hazel is one of the things I'm always looking for.

[loon]

all this "you have to be super duper long for any semi-long draw length" just seems so discouraging.. though maybe 25" makes more sense as a safe bow with that, yeah
good sinew backed wood should easily do 30" with a 60" long, 1" narrow limbs??? Just wonder, what wood.. Osage D bow?
Really wish it wasn't so hard making something like my Korean synthetic 50" bow with 32" draw length, with natural materials. The horn bows are crazy to use, not easy like the synthetic. Maybe bamboo and sinew... (or nylon cable back  )
Look at this guy. You could try, as long as you're not really expecting it to work.

Code: [Select]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imBWlcJE8KE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OmDngX92XQ
70" long, 41" draw length... it's like 35" out of a 60" bow

[bubby]

Loon several examples were given to achieve his draw length but he has issues with most of them, sinew is not as easy to do as most people seem to think before they try it. The width of the limbs is often dictated by the wood of choice as all natural materials differ and the synthetics you mention don't. Skill level also inters into the mix of what you can get from a stave. A 60" long stave only gives a working length of 58" so there is even less to work with than some think. With a bendy handle 28" draw is probably the most draw length that the majority on here would try for without sinew. With sinew and a perfect tiller you could get 30, no reason to get discouraged but some guys need to be realistic when working with natural materials, horn bows are up the skill ladder a bit😉

[Chris3kilo]

Don't see how a hornbows or sinew backing would be that hard. I might be new with bows, but I'm no stranger working with tools. Actually I get payed for that.
My impression is that the majority here thinks it a long shot getting a 62" bow with a DL on 30" without a bending handle (wich feels odd to me) and with the "just" 4cm wide limbs I ended up with. And I'll listen to that and make it a shorter drawlength. Got to make something out of this bow, because elder is beautiful wood.

[DC]

Build one and report back Emphasis on the "report back", especially if it fails