Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on September 23, 2014, 03:01:57 pm
-
Easy question, maybe not so easy to answer.Can someone describe a smooth draw? After all, no real bow has wheels or gears to make a lumpy bumpy grindy draw. So what is a smooth draw?
-
From the bows that I have built an R/D bow is about as smooth as one can get in my experience. Drawing it and Holding it at full draw does not seem to require much effort from brace..
-
No sharp increases in weight and a strong early pull are what I think of when I hear smooth draw. On some of my smoothest 50# bows I can almos convince myself the weight doesn't increase between brace and draw despite what the scale says.
Longer bows are easier to make a smooth draw, though I find them harder to make smooth shooters. Otherwise very careful tillering is key.
-
No sharp increases in weight and a strong early pull are what I think of when I hear smooth draw. On some of my smoothest 50# bows I can almos convince myself the weight doesn't increase between brace and draw despite what the scale says.
Longer bows are easier to make a smooth draw, though I find them harder to make smooth shooters. Otherwise very careful tillering is key.
+1 generally speaking the higher the early draw weight the smoother the draw, recurves and stiff outer limbs all help to smooth out the draw. Smooth draw basicaly just means that it builds weight at a slower rate from start to finish.
-
I've just tillered a Hickory backed Yew from a glued up stave that some old guy made up years ago, the backing is too thick and although it's only 60# it feels less smooth and harder to draw than my 70# self Yew bow.
I think the reason is it is stiff in the centre where it's spliced and slightly whip tillered ( I had to take a lot off inner 2/3 to get it tillered at all)
It feel like it's stacking and hitting a brick wall at 28", where the old 70# has a little set and feels like it would pull to 30"
So to answer the Q:-
I think it feels like you could just keep drawing it further and further.
Down to working limb length, geometry and materials?
Del
-
You don't know what smooth is until you have made a lever tipped bow with the tips set at a sharper angle. It's like drawing a slingshot back. There is just no hint of any sort of wall of stacking, which can be a bit unnerving.
(http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/pp78/pat_05/IMG_0887.jpg)