Arrow shelves and where to cut them

[youngbowyer33]

Can you cut arrow shelves in the fade or should they only be cut where there is the full depth of the handle? I'm finishing up a r/d with 10" handle section and I don't do arrow shelves, really don't want to mess anything up. How far in is safe enough to cut? 1/8" from centre? 1/4"?

Thanks

[Jim Davis]

Best shelf is no shelf. Almost no bows had them until the 1940s and folks fed themselves and killed each other with great efficiency.

If you can't live without a shelf, it needs to be in a section that remains thick enough to not bend. You're flirting with disaster to move up the limb into the fade.

It's going to be a judgement call of how deep you can cut and how far up the fade.

Your shooting skill (or lack) will far out weigh any imagined advantage to having a shelf.

[PEARL DRUMS]

The best shelf is the one somebody wants on their bow. All mine have one and always will.

Try a cork wedge if you want something easier to apply and adjust. They work great, look great and are simple.

[youngbowyer33]

I usually do without them but I like the r/d look with a long handle and a big shelf. Maybe I will do it only halfway up the fade

[bjrogg]

I like em both ways. I'm thinking with a 10" handle it shouldn't have to be more located in the fade. I agree however you like, but when I do put one on it's usually about a 4 or 5" handle with 1 1/2" fads. I usually cut shelf in about 1" above center of handle. It's really hard to say how close to center without more information. Need to know how close string is to center and how wide handle is at shelf? How heavy draw? I'd probably like to keep at least a inch wide after shelf is cut. Probably could get away with less but you don't have to get to center shoot. I've never seen one break from shelf.
Bjrogg

[Knoll]

Mine are generally approx 1 1/4" above handle's center.
After much of Bub's gentle prodding  , am liking my handle width narrower and narrower. Then shelf can be made from cork, leather, contrasting wood, etc. and slapped on outside edge of handle. If it turns out ya don't like that shelf position, easy to rasp it off and try another location.

[Badger]

   I use a lot of cut in shelves. I start my sight window in the fade and I am well into the full handle depth before I hit the shelf. How close to center I go has a lot to do with how confident I am in the stave.  After looking at my bows closer I guess I am pretty close to center on most of them.

[bushboy]

Another option,yes I'm a fan off Marc's work!

[youngbowyer33]

It's only 40#@28" about 1 3/16" wide. Think I'm gonna cut in 1/2"

[BowEd]

A general rule I go by is to be twice as deep as you are narrow for the arrow pass.I've had them down to only 5/8" wide on a few of my bows even without shelves.I would'nt go any narrower than that though myself.Most are 3/4" wide.Puts them very close to center shot on a straight limbed type bow.

[osage outlaw]

I used to hate carved in shelves on self bows.  I thought they looked ugly.  Then I figured out how to make them look good.  Now every bow I make has one.  I start the cut in at the fade and end it at the start of the handle.  If done correctly it doesn't weaken the bow. I think you get better arrow flight the closer the bow is to center shot.

[George Tsoukalas]

I don't cut in shelves.This its what I do.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/leatherhandle.html

Jawge

[NorthHeart]

Fortify leather layers with CA glue.  Sexy, wont hurt the bows integrity, and most non-bow people just assume its part of the wood.  Looks very natural.  You can also do any shape your heart desires with fortifying and sanding cork the same way.

[ntvbowyer1969]

some of my better shooting bows dont have a shelf cut into them at all. when i am shooting my bows in before finishing them i use a #2 pencil and make marks where the sweet spot is for the bow. all bows will be different. I start at around 1 1/4" above center and shoot some arrows at that hash mark. I then move above that line and below that line until i find the sweet spot where the bow performs its best and casts the arrow with its best flight. i then make sure i mark this spot with the pencil. I then cut a wedge of osage/horn/antler and glue it for a shelf. this will ensure the rest is at its "best" spot possible. when you cut a shelf in you are limited to where you cut the shelf in the bow. here is a pic of the shelves i am talking about.


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[ntvbowyer1969]

when i do cut them in i use Osage outlaws suggestions in how to cut them in.you can get the arrow more center shot. you still can get great arrow flight with built up shelves off of handle if you arrows are spined and tuned to bow. Here is a pic of my cut in shelves.
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