68" Hickory Flatbow

[upstatenybowyer]

Howdy folks,

60# at 27 1/2"
I'm posting this one to see what ya'll think about the tiller.

Does it look like the bow is not working quite enough near the handle?

The braced, and full-draw pics were taken just after heat-treating about 3" of reflex into it. Prior to heat treating those inner limbs were working quite a bit more.

As you can see from the unbraced pic (which was taken right after the full draw pic), it lost about 2 1/2 of those 3" of reflex. My guess is after a little while it will gain a bit back.

If you were me, what would you do? Leave it as is, or take a little wood off the inner limbs?

[upstatenybowyer]

Here's one from the front

[gfugal]

Looks great! I like what you did with the tips. It's a shame the recurve didn't stick, maybe it had something to do with the thicker tips. I do think it is a little stiff near the handle but it works and doubt it will do any harm. If you haven't finished it with oil varnish or whatever coating than I would say take a bit off, However, it looks like you might already have finished it.

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks for the reply gfugal.  This one was never a recurve, it was reflexed. I usually don't go above 64" if I'm flipping the tips. Still not sure about the inner limbs... we'll see.

[aaron]

I think the tiller looks ok for a bow with long stiff tips. The inner limbs could bend more.
I do think that you have gone overboard on the thickness of the tips- the tips only need to be a tiny bit thicker  to be stiff- especially if you leave them relatively wide like you have done. If you made those tips only 1/16 thicker than the rest of the limb, you'd still be plenty stiff. Alternately, you could narrow those things considerably and still be ok. Either way will increase speed and reduce handshock.

[upstatenybowyer]

This helps a lot aaron, thank you. 

[bubby]

Yes get the inners working more, and ditto aaron on the tips it they are that thick they can be hella narrow

[DC]

Couple of things. You have some reflex right at the handle so the inners are bending. They're bending enough to make the bow look flat through the middle section. Also remember that when you are reducing the inners a little movement there makes a lot of difference at the tips. If you take a little off the inners you will lose quite a bit of draw weight. If you don't want to lose weight maybe leave it.

[Jim Davis]

I've been making bows for 20 years and I don't understand why you left the tips so thick...Would you tell me your thinking on this?

Jim Davis

[upstatenybowyer]

Hi Jim,

It started as an experiment. I wondered if a little extra mass on the levers would result in more "catapult effect." Since momentum can be transferred from one object to another, and momentum = mass x velocity, I thought maybe a little extra mass on the outer limbs (which in a way are being thrown) is transferred to the arrow, it could result in the arrow being given more momentum. I was willing to accept a little extra hand shock. And after all, I knew I could always remove that mass if it didn't work. Let me know if this makes any sense. I've only been at it for 10 years. 

DC,

I thought the same thing about the reflex making it appear as though the inner limbs aren't working when in fact they maybe. I kind of like the high draw weight, so maybe I'll leave them as is. Thanks for the reply!

[PEARL DRUMS]

If you have shot the bow at least a few hundred times and your unbraced profile still looks like it does now, Id say the bow is healthy and happy. I do agree the tips could be half as thick and still stay stiff.

[High-Desert]

Adding mass to the tips is more like adding weight to the projectile since the tip wouod is not actually doing any work. Hand shock is the result of energy not going to the arrow. You will loose velocity with extra tip weigh because the limbs now have to haul that weight forward.
As far as tiller, if you are satisfied with the way it shoots and feels, why mess with it. It's just a short bow with added fades to makes it long.

Eric

[upstatenybowyer]

HD, your explanation makes good sense. I went ahead and removed the extra mass from the tips and it certainly feels better in the hand. I think it probably gained a few fps as well. Oh well, I guess I just needed to see and feel the difference for myself. 

[bradsmith2010]

mass at the tips effects the cast more than any other place on the limb,,
I am sure you did gain some fps when you reduced them, nice bow,,

[upstatenybowyer]

Adding mass to the tips is more like adding weight to the projectile since the tip wouod is not actually doing any work. Hand shock is the result of energy not going to the arrow. You will loose velocity with extra tip weigh because the limbs now have to haul that weight forward.
As far as tiller, if you are satisfied with the way it shoots and feels, why mess with it. It's just a short bow with added fades to makes it long.

Eric

That makes sense. Thanks Eric