Limb Nocks

[bow101]

I noticed this custom made Howard Hill style bow, my question is did this person nock the limbs at different lenghts for using a string jig.? Is this practice advisable..?
I also do not know if they are unequal lenght limbs or not. This does give me an idea for my next build...

[Weylin]

Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding what you're asking. Are you talking about the fact that the upper tip is longer than the bottom tip? I do that as well. I make the upper limb tip longer and sleeker looking for aesthetics and so that it fits a stringer better. but I make the bottom tip rounded and minimal so that it isn't damage from inadvertent contact with the ground.

[bow101]

Strange because most bows I have seen on this site have the tips the same. "I make the upper limb tip longer and sleeker looking for aesthetics and so that it fits a stringer better. " Well that makes sense like I said.
So do you make the upper limb longer to compensate for the longer tip.?

[Will H]

I do the same as Weylin. You don't have to compensate for anything. Limb length is measured from fade to nock.

[bow101]

I do the same as Weylin. You don't have to compensate for anything. Limb length is measured from fade to nock.

  oh well, fade out, fade in...?

[adb]

I also make my bottom nock slightly more robust. Less pointy, usually. Makes it less likely to be damaged during bracing.

[Weylin]

lets say I have a 68" stave. I will cut the string grooves 1" down from each tip effectively making my bow 66" from nock to nock. When I get around to shaping my tips I will use much of that extra 1" for my top limb tip but will shave most of it off of the bottom tip. This doesn't change the effective length of my limbs which is still 66" nock to nock. Hope that makes sense. Here's my top tip and bottom tip off of my last bow.

[Pappy]

What Weylin/Will said.
   Pappy

[Marks]

Ha .........Willy and Weylin..... What are the odds.
I like the idea of longer top tip. I wish I could lengthen the upper limb on the bow I'm building now. Anyone got a wood stretcher I can borrow?

[Maxspin]

Learned something new.
Weylin, thanks for the informative response.

Keith

[Weylin]

You're welcome. Glad it helped. 

[Pat B]

I used to build my bows with the nocks close to the tip(1/2" or so) until a friend that was selling my bows a few years back suggested I made them longer to help when using a bow stringer. Since them I have done that. On both the top and bottom limb I start at 3/4" down on the back and about 1" down on the belly. I usually finish the top tip with more of a point and more rounder on the bottom to protect the bottom tip.
  Everything outside of the nock is dead weight; not needed and negative effect on performance. Once I shape the tips I try to reduce everything beyond the nock to reduce that excess weight but without reducing the strength for a stringer.

[richardzane]

Weylin, beautiful horn tips ,  a question for you,

from the photo of the top tip it "appears" that a ring on the back of the bow is compromised right at the beginning of your horn overlay
am i seeing it right? or is it "ok" when you're that close to the tips?

[bow101]

lets say I have a 68" stave. I will cut the string grooves 1" down from each tip effectively making my bow 66" from nock to nock. When I get around to shaping my tips I will use much of that extra 1" for my top limb tip but will shave most of it off of the bottom tip. This doesn't change the effective length of my limbs which is still 66" nock to nock. Hope that makes sense. Here's my top tip and bottom tip off of my last bow.

That pretty well wraps it up, thanks Weylin. Like I said "most bows I have seen on this site and else where have the tips the same". And I have seen over 200 bows...... That's why that photo sort of caught me off gaurd so to speak.

[Alpinbogen]

It's pretty common to leave some extra length past the upper string groove.  It aids in using a bow stringer, and helps prevent having your fingers overshoot the limb if you use the push-pull method.  A slender upper tip also looks more elegant (where you notice it).  Keeping a stubbier length on the bottom helps make it "little" more resistant to damage and gives a "little" more clearance from the ground if you're shooting from a crouched position.  The "functional" difference is subtle, but the variation is so easy to create, that there's no reason not to.  I do the same with my limb tips.