Yikes 32 inches? Thats way to short and thats coming rom someone who likes short bows. I agree if your this frustrated already i would find some other stave that won't make you more.
U sure? Do you think the little bow in this pic might be 32 inches? I have seen some really little bows in old Indian pictures, I think a lot of modern bowyers like to super size their bows.
I agree that many make their bows longer than necessary. but having made some short bows (one 33", and two 43"). I've learned that I was expecting too much from them. I tried to get them to normal draw lengths of 28" but at draws that far being that short it doesn't matter one bit if the wood could take it or not. String angle becomes your main enemy. and your bow will stack no matter what, which hinders performance.
Secondly, the wood for short of bows usually won't take long draws and will get set. If you design it right and use suited materials it may not. Large amounts of set is usually an indication your wood with that design won't meet your expectations, either that or you stressed it too way too much during the beginning phases of tillering. the two 43" bows got a large amount of set and the first one broke at only a 23" draw (it also was sinew backed and merely 20 lbs). For the sake of durability and assurance I now know to play it on the side of longer than not. Again the hard lesson I had to learn is that the wood is in charge. I had this idea that I could make any design out of any wood, and if I was skilled enough in tillering I could make it work. Turns out I was wrong. There's quite a bit good tillering can do, but it won't make a design the wood can't take.
Last of all, I wanted to mention the native bows you shared. Do you happen to know the intended poundage or draws for them? maybe that small one is a child bow? No doubt they were successful for their purposes, but you have to keep in mind that the native American draw is far different from the Mediterranean draw. pulling a native American bow like that to 28"+ inches will most likely damage or break it. You can get a 42" bow pulling 60 lbs at 22". But You would be stretching your luck to think you could get that at 28". Trust me I didn't want to believe this but the wood has been telling me otherwise.