Making fast bows

[sleek]

What features of a bow have you guys learned that speeds your bows up?

Low set is a big one for me but honestly, I think proper tiller shape is more important. What things have yall all noticed?

[Pat B]

I've never thought about speed when I build bows. Either they are shooters or they are good shooters.
 That said, I think narrow, light tips, reflexed limbs with reflexed tips, well balanced limbs and a good heat treated belly while reflexing.

[Jim Davis]

As little mass as possible in the outer limbs. Pyramid design makes that easier.

[bambule]

That said, I think narrow, light tips, reflexed limbs with reflexed tips, well balanced limbs and a good heat treated belly while reflexing.

+1

[willie]

What features of a bow have you guys learned that speeds your bows up?

Assuming you mean "speeds your arrow up".....
Does it matter if the arrow is a high gpp arrow or a lower gpp?

[Pat B]

Willie, when discussing arrows I always refer to hunting weight arrows, 10 +/- gpp. I shoot the same arrows no matter if I'm hunting or shooting 3D or targets.

[Eric Krewson]

Chosing that magical osage that is as hard as a rock but cuts like butter with no splintering with a drawknife, is much heavier than run of the mill osage and has a perfect early wood to late wood ratio. Add some reflex and heat treatment and you have something special.

The top half of the sample on the left made some extra special bows for me.

The wide ring piece in the middle made very sluggish bows.

[sleek]

What features of a bow have you guys learned that speeds your bows up?

Assuming you mean "speeds your arrow up".....
Does it matter if the arrow is a high gpp arrow or a lower gpp?

Nah, I mean the bow. If you wanna speed an arrow up, you drop its weight. Speeding a bow up ( semanticly speaking ) means it will shoot any arrow weight faster than another bow.

[willie]

Nah, I mean the bow. If you wanna speed an arrow up, you drop its weight. Speeding a bow up ( semanticly speaking ) means it will shoot any arrow weight faster than another bow.

granted, lighter arrows will generally be faster with most bows (all other things being equal).

if you are asking about light arrows tho, isn't it true that there is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to reducing arrow mass? and that some bow designs work better with lighter arrows?

but maybe you are asking about bows for more typical 10 gpp or thereabouts weight arrows?

[Badger]

if you are asking about light arrows tho, isn't it true that there is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to reducing arrow mass? and that some bow designs work better with lighter arrows?

  Bows with a low virtual mass may shoot very light arrows faster than the faster bow with heavier arrows. Thats why shorter bows are used in flight shooting but not the broadhead event. Most of the time, the faster bow will always be faster, but not all the time.

[willie]

virtual mass......

reading these three pages......

http://www.tap46home.plus.com/mechanics/vmass.htm

https://www.archerylibrary.com/books/hickman/archery-the-technical-side/klopsteg/physics-of-bows-and-arrows/virtual-mass-of-a-bow.html

https://www.archerylibrary.com/books/hickman/archery-the-technical-side/klopsteg/physics-of-bows-and-arrows/virtual-mass-of-a-bow2.html

[sleek]

Chosing that magical osage that is as hard as a rock but cuts like butter with no splintering with a drawknife, is much heavier than run of the mill osage and has a perfect early wood to late wood ratio. Add some reflex and heat treatment and you have something special.

The top half of the sample on the left made some extra special bows for me.

The wide ring piece in the middle made very sluggish bows.

Wood quality makes such a huge difference its crazy. I firmly believe the denser the wood the better it can be. I also have noticed with osage the higher the latex content and the greener its color is, the better the wood is.

[sleek]

I've never thought about speed when I build bows. Either they are shooters or they are good shooters.
 That said, I think narrow, light tips, reflexed limbs with reflexed tips, well balanced limbs and a good heat treated belly while reflexing.

Heat treating makes a big difference, waking up a bow to a level you cant get otherwise. Its compression resistance is petty well maxed out with a good heat treat. I think most folks who heat treat dont treat them well enough, stopping well short of a complete heat treat.

[sleek]

Either or, its a question relative to any arrow. What speeds up a light arrow may slow down a heavy arrow.
What features of a bow have you guys learned that speeds your bows up?

Assuming you mean "speeds your arrow up".....
Does it matter if the arrow is a high gpp arrow or a lower gpp?

[Wallski]

Hey Sleek, what’s a good heat compared to a stop short compete heat treat?