New Bow-Low Brace

[PeteDavis]

My new homemade elmhickbow is 67.5" n>n. Pulls about 60# but I'll scale it after a few hundred arrows.

Right now my brace on this LB is 6.25" from string to back. My fletches catch on the shelf.

My logic here is to shoot awhile like this until the wood fibers develop most of their memory. Then tweedle an inch more into the brace and see what happens.

I do not want to blow up this bow.

Is this a good strategy or am I wasting time at the low brace? The bow shoots great.

PD

[0209]

Lets see some pictures of the bad boy.  And I dont see why you couldnt jus go ahead and bring it to a higher brace right now seein as you've already reached the full draw.  But I suppose I'd listen to the opinions of more esteemed individuals who are 100% sure what they're talking about.  But again, lets see some pictures =)

[sweeney3]

At first I couldn't believe you had it braced that high, but then I re-read and noticed that you are measureing from the back of the bow rather than the belly side, so that makes sense.  I have my selfbows braced about 5 to 5.5, but from the belly side, so that figures to roughly the same thing measuring to the back. 

You could try a few things: 1) go ahead and raise the brace a little bit if it seems to be performing okay.  2) strip your fletching off and back it up a little if there is room to do so without it hitting your fingers on the release.  3) strip you fletching off and use shorter feathers.  Might have to go from a 3 fletch to a 4 or a 2 to a 3 in that case to get good flight.  If you are trying for some serious historical or period accuracy and replication, then that's obviously a no-go.  But if you are just trying to get arrows to perform well, then it's an option.  I've done that with a couple.  And 4) any combination of the above.  Raise the brace a turn or three; use more, shorter feathers; and back the up a little. 

Enjoy playing with it!!  This is the fun stuff.  Let us know how it turns out, espically if you raise the brace much.   

[mullet]

 6 to 6.5" from the belly isn't that high of a brace height. Most of my bows are braced around that range. Pete, I think you are on the right track.

[George Tsoukalas]

My bows are braced 7.25 in from string to back so what you are doing is fine, Pete. Jawge