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Help with avoiding set
RyanY:
Your dimensions seem reasonable. How much set are you getting exactly? I’d also like to see your tiller on these bows. What’s the moisture content of the wood?
jameswoodmot:
--- Quote from: Del the cat on May 25, 2025, 02:45:26 pm ---Ah! Your doing that thing of changing from one question to another!
1st question was how do you avoid set, but when I say make it long, you are worried about it being slow!
I think you have to solve one problem at a time.
There are plenty of inter related factors, and it's a matter of balancing and optimising them.
The fastest bow will probably have a bit of set and may have a short life. The bow with no set may well be overbuilt and sluggish.
The 100# Elm warbow I built shot over 300 yards, but that was with a light flight arrow which rather jarred my elbow ( I have some tennis elbow)... So I named the bow "Dennis Elmbow" ;D
40mm is probably a sensible maximum width, but with a rather rectangular section, the corners (even when rounded ) will be uncomfortable in the hand, and that's (IMO) what is often mistaken for hand shock.
So, sorry, but no simple easy answers I'd suggest Lemonwood backed with Ash (edge grained like this ||||||||||||||| ) might be a better combination.
Your assumption about length is right, but of course it also depends on draw length.
I have experimented with short ELBs for flight purposed... one got name "Ill Bastardo" as it kicked like a mule, was short draw and left some hideous bruises on my mate JT's bicep... it was fast but short lived... it did have some set.
If you cant find Yew stave , maybe you can find Yew heartwood to back with Ash or Boo, which will make a good fast bow.
Good luck
Del
--- End quote ---
I thought it was obvious by now I want you to tell me exactly how to make a perfect bow first time so I don’t have to put the leg work in myself!
I guess my desire to avoid set is actually a desire to make a fast bow, or at least a reasonable performer. Or actually maybe just a white wood ELB that is nice to shoot. Or maybe all the above, I’m trying to get past my dislike of them and currently I’m just reenforcing it!
The first problem that I have come across when making them a the heavy set which I have seen other people manage to avoid, seeing ash and elm bows of average length reaching over 100lbs and I’m struggling to get over 65, I’m pretty sure my material is good, it ain’t the tools so that just leaves me!
I’ve got enough lemonwood for a second longbow and I got some Ipe, waiting on ordering some bamboo.
My interest in making things has always been achieving the best an average piece of material can give, not going straight for the best materials. Professionally I am a toolmaker and I find far more gratification in getting an average quality tool steel to perform to its limits, and out perform many supposedly better steels, that to take a very heigh quality piece of steel and only achieve 75% of its potential and say “that’s good enough”.
If I can get a piece of elm over 80lb and to shoot over 150fps, I will be far happier than achieving 170 with a piece of yew or exotics.
Not sure how much sense I’m making but I hope you get the gist of what I’m aiming for.
jameswoodmot:
--- Quote from: RyanY on May 25, 2025, 04:36:50 pm ---Your dimensions seem reasonable. How much set are you getting exactly? I’d also like to see your tiller on these bows. What’s the moisture content of the wood?
--- End quote ---
Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of either tillered. Set is probably about 2-2.5”, a bit more with string follow.
Moisture content I don’t know, I’m not sure how to get it any lower. It’s actually easier in winter here as i can leave a stave on the radiator and keep weighing it, in the summer the humidity in the house is closer to outside. I’m thinking it might be time for a hotbox or dehumidifier
willie:
--- Quote from: jameswoodmot on May 24, 2025, 07:52:23 pm ---Nice even set the whole way along the bow,
--- End quote ---
when tillering, how close to full draw do you detect the set beginning to occur?
jameswoodmot:
--- Quote from: willie on May 26, 2025, 03:06:45 pm ---
--- Quote from: jameswoodmot on May 24, 2025, 07:52:23 pm ---Nice even set the whole way along the bow,
--- End quote ---
when tillering, how close to full draw do you detect the set beginning to occur?
--- End quote ---
Fairly early on, not long after bracing, so I start dropping the target weight but it’s difficult to guess how much and quickly to lower the weight.
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