Draw length and bow length

[Muskyman]

Can I make a bow with a 66 long Osage stave with my draw length of about 30 inches?
Just a self bow with no backing. Or is that asking for trouble.
I guess if not I can make one for momma with it.

[bradsmith2010]

if you make it bend through the handle,, its doable,,just needs to be a good stave and very careful on tiller

[superdav95]

Hey mike. How tall are you?  Are you certain your draw is in fact 30”.  I shot compound for years before switching to primitive and always had trouble getting a bow to fit my 32” draw being 6’6” and having arms like an arrangatang my draw was always an issue.  Draw length with primitive bows is a different thing.  Generally the draw is gonna be shorter on a primitive bow.  For example my draw length is 29” with a primitive bow.  My anchor is different when shooting my primitive bows then it is when shooting my compound.  I shoot split finger and shoot instinctive bringing the middle finger to the corner of my mouth and my bent thumb knuckle tucked behind my jaw.  Not sure how others shoot and to each their own to a certain point but if you are using your draw from a compound draw it’s gonna be shorter.  There are many reasons for this as I figure.  The front arm is more locked out generally with compound shooting.  I keep my front arm more bent for control when shooting primitive bows.  This shortens some draw length.  I’ve made some shorter bows that draw fine out to 30” but it’s is not recommended for your first bows.  I think you should be able to get 28-29” draw with a good clean Osage stave at 66”length. A nice pyramid bow style would be a good design to start with.  There’s a whole discussion that can be had about proper primitive draw length.  I don’t want to open a can of worms here but my belief is there differences between primitive and compound shooting and even traditional for that matter.  My point is that unless you are quite tall or have arms that hang down past your knees you likley overestimated your draw length to be 30”.  I’m sure others here will chime in on this too.  Let us know how you came to 30”. 

[bradsmith2010]

agreed,,it might be shorter,, and then the stave wont be as strained,, just shoot it as you tiller,,, and stop when its good,,

[Muskyman]

Dave, I’m pretty sure but, could be wrong about my draw length. I shot a 75 lbs recurve for years at a 30 inch draw when I was younger of course. I got a test kit of arrows from 3 rivers archery cut at 30&3/4” and I can’t say I really looked at how far they were from the back of the bow but I’m pretty sure they were pretty close.
I’m not quite as tall as you but I’m 6’-3” and have a wing span of about 6’-4” inches.
I’m not going to take a chance with it. Also I kinda promise my wife I’d make her a bow with it. It’s from a piece of the Osage I tried to split and it ran off to the side. It was the last piece I cleaned up and it turned out to be big enough for a shorter bow.

[bradsmith2010]

you will always get different points of views,, but really only the stave knows,, you just have to try and see,,
I feel like it will do it, but if the wife wants a bow,, then thats your answer,,

[superdav95]

Dave, I’m pretty sure but, could be wrong about my draw length. I shot a 75 lbs recurve for years at a 30 inch draw when I was younger of course. I got a test kit of arrows from 3 rivers archery cut at 30&3/4” and I can’t say I really looked at how far they were from the back of the bow but I’m pretty sure they were pretty close.
I’m not quite as tall as you but I’m 6’-3” and have a wing span of about 6’-4” inches.
I’m not going to take a chance with it. Also I kinda promise my wife I’d make her a bow with it. It’s from a piece of the Osage I tried to split and it ran off to the side. It was the last piece I cleaned up and it turned out to be big enough for a shorter bow.

Haha Ya your a freak like me then! Longer arms.  It’s sounds like you have a pretty good idea of your draw.  People have different styles of draw and methods.  If it’s working for you don’t change it.  Only thing is it limits you a little is all with a 30” draw.  Lots of guys do bamboo backing too and sinew to get extra draw so that may be in your future with that draw length.  Building elb/ war bows is another option even.  You’ll have fun with it either way. 

[superdav95]

you will always get different points of views,, but really only the stave knows,, you just have to try and see,,
I feel like it will do it, but if the wife wants a bow,, then thats your answer,,

I agree brad.  The wood will tell you what it’s going to turn out. 

[stuckinthemud]

Type of handle affects draw length.  My old recurve has a nice deep grip and wide riser.  I draw 27” on that.  My elb I shoot off my hand and draw 24”

[Muskyman]

I’m going to take my phone out to the shed with me today and string up a hickory bow I made and snap a picture of myself at full draw and see what it looks like.
Regardless of what I see I’ll keep the stave for a momma bow. She just started shooting out of the blue with a bow I was making and it ended up with a pretty light draw weight. She seems to like it pretty good and it gives us something to do together. Let you know what I find out right or wrong I’ll know for sure and work from there. I saw a guy talking about draw length online and he said about 2.25 inches of bow length per inches of draw length and that puts me over the 66 inches of this stave. Was just wondering what everyone on this site thought and that was the reason for the question. I’m just trying to get some more knowledge about bows and building them while I’m waiting on my Osage staves to dry out.. by the way I put a moisture meter in one the other day and if I remember correctly it was around 19-20 percent.

[Allyn T]

Type of handle affects draw length.  My old recurve has a nice deep grip and wide riser.  I draw 27” on that.  My elb I shoot off my hand and draw 24”

That's why I set up my tiller tree to go off the belly of the handle. That way no matter what the handle depth is I know the draw length will be right for my arms

[Muskyman]

Took a picture of my draw with a 30 n 1/2 to 3/4 inch arrow. Actually it measured 30 5/8”
Pretty much all the way to the field point. So I’m really close to the 30 inch draw

[bradsmith2010]

ok just for converstaion,,, a bend in handle bow, would have a handle not so deep,, it would reduce your draw a bit,,or how far you draw the arrow,, I still think you could get a nice bow close to your draw with the 66 inch stave,,I have made bows for people with 29 30 inch draw,, I am 6 ft,, but I face more forward so my draw is short compared to most,,,I just make the bow to be effecient at the draw I want,,,and have some shorter Native style bows that draw 23 inches,,  I like to shoot all of them,,,I dont have a set draw,, just depends on the bow,,

[superdav95]

ok just for converstaion,,, a bend in handle bow, would have a handle not so deep,, it would reduce your draw a bit,,or how far you draw the arrow,, I still think you could get a nice bow close to your draw with the 66 inch stave,,I have made bows for people with 29 30 inch draw,, I am 6 ft,, but I face more forward so my draw is short compared to most,,,I just make the bow to be effecient at the draw I want,,,and have some shorter Native style bows that draw 23 inches,,  I like to shoot all of them,,,I dont have a set draw,, just depends on the bow,,

That’s for sure brad. I’ve got some 58” short bows that have shorter draw that I still regularly shoot for fun and actually really enjoy shooting them.  I don’t have a bend in the handle bow to compare draw to but would make sense that draw length for shorter bow be obtained. 

[Muskyman]

Okay I’ve got a question here. If you don’t draw to a particular anchor point. Are you just snap shooting or what do you call it. Do you use a different anchor point? I know some of the old timers like Fred Bear and maybe Howard Hill had a quick release but I’m thinking they actually released when they touched their anchor point. I read Saxton Pope’s  hunting with bow and arrow but don’t recall, if it said how he and Art Young shot. I haven’t shot a much instinctively much in a pretty long time. I’m not planning on hunting this year but have been thinking I’d like to try and take a deer with a bow I made..
I’m not planning on changing my shooting style just for the sake of making myself a shorter bow. I’ll make this bow for my wife and make myself a longer bow. These questions are just for information only  also since I don’t really know and haven’t tried to look it up, what is a elb bow?
By the way, I’m still pretty deadly at around 20 yards for as much time away from instinctive shooting as I’ve had.
Thanks for all your thoughts, I appreciate it.

Mike