Balancing on a finger

[upstatenybowyer]

Just curious how many of you do this. You know, balance a bow-to be (a symmetrical one of course) with your finger under the center to see which side is heavier as a means of deciding which limb to scrape.

When I first started making bows, way before I found PA, I used to swear by it. Nowadays it's still in my tool bag, but I don't put nearly as much faith in it. For me it's just a guide (kinda like observing the feathering of the grain).

[PatM]

Which finger?

[bradsmith2010]

I just balance the bow in my hand to shoot it,,

[bushboy]

Yes,it's one of the things that amazes me!

[upstatenybowyer]

Which finger?

Are you being silly Pat? 

[PatM]

No. It's a legit question. Torges recommended the bow balance on the middle finger when held at your side. This would also be an asymmetrical bow.

[Hawkdancer]

Horizontal is ok, vertical is a no-no!  I would use the index finger personally, as it is the most common balance finger.  But I haven't. Tried it with bows.  Will test with the  stave in the works sooner or later!
Hawkdancer

[mikekeswick]

It works with asymmetrical bows too. Torges used this layout as it balances in the hand when being carried. This is different.
Upstate - I get what you are saying and no it doesn't matter what finger!

[simson]

I do that with all bows I make. No matter sym or asym.
On asym it should balance at pivot point (where pressure is when drawn).

[upstatenybowyer]

Ah, sorry Pat. I get it now. 

Mike, any idea what book Torges talks about it?

[Dances with squirrels]

I've been watching that for years. I don't swear by it either, depends on the bow, but definitely pay attention to it.

Whether symmetrical or asymmetrical, it should balance pretty well on bow center... unless it's a really odd case... like one limb has a big knot, or really odd character or something. I design my bows so they balance on my middle finger and begin to take note of how it's balancing as the stave is being roughed in... before floor tillering or the long string. If it doesn't balance on my middle finger half decently, I closely inspect, and look for reasons why I may want to work on the heavy limb.

A few days ago, just before I braced a bow for the first time, I held it at my side on my middle finger(bow center) and it tipped forward toward the top limb. It's short and radical and I'd been struggling with this bow for some time, so I double checked my hand placement and tried again... still tipping. I assumed it was just being weird again and braced it anyway. Yep, top limb was too strong. Just a minute or two of scraping made it look better at brace, but that little bit was enough to keep it from balancing in my hand.

[Dances with squirrels]

Mine are asymmetrical by the way, usually with the bow center 3/4" above handle center.

[Pat B]

Upstate, "Hunting the Osage Bow"
I like my bows to balance from the center of the handle or slightly bottom limb heavy. I think that makes the bow easily brought up for the shot.

[DC]

I've made a few bows that just won't balance and the weak limb is the heavy one. If I were to continue scraping the belly it would just get worse. I've tried side tillering the heavy limb and belly tillering the light one but when I reach draw weight one limb is still heavy. This is for relatively consistent staves. It doesn't make sense that one end of a stick should be denser than another but I can't come up with a better explanation. It doesn't seem to affect the way the bow shoots but I'm not enough of an archer to notice that. I've asked this question before on here and never did come away with an answer that gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

[PatM]

It makes perfect sense that one end would be denser. Trees taper.