Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: John W. Cooper on June 24, 2011, 12:03:49 pm
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Hello,
I've noticed that some r/d bows have the reflex really close to the tips (almost like a recurve) and some place the reflex at mid-limb (I've only done this shape). I'm planning on doing some testing of different placements of reflex but I just wondered if anyone has found much of a difference in performance.
John
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Personally I have only done this on laminated bows but I like it closer to the end. The reason I like this is because I leave it semi static only starting to unbend at about half draw to full draw because it changes the string angle making for less stack and smoother draw with no false weight. But I have never done and experiment on which way shoots faster.
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Dean Torges calls a bow with reflex in the tips a hunting bow suitable for heavy arrows, he says a bow with reflex mid limb is a target bow designed for flatter shooting and higher speed. I have built both ways and cant tell them apart.
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I'm doing this only with my bamboo-backed bows, but I see how the string angle would help things.
Dean Torges calls a bow with reflex in the tips a hunting bow suitable for heavy arrows, he says a bow with reflex mid limb is a target bow designed for flatter shooting and higher speed. I have built both ways and cant tell them apart.
I can see how this would be kind of like the difference between a recurve and a longbow as far as heavy vs. light arrows go. All things being similar (i.e. length and width of bow, amt of reflex, good tiller) I don't think I will be able to tell them apart either. I think so many things in archery are like "Dumbo's feather": if we're told something works a certain way, it will! ;D Does this merely come down to aesthetics?
John
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Good anology John. It seems that way to me as well. I think Dean's comment is derived from the amount of actual working limb left over? Not sure.
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Of course if/when we make as many bows as Dean, I'm sure we'll be able to tell the difference. I don't in any way want to come off as an arrogant beginner from that last comment. At times it just seems like some people lose the fun of bowmaking by over-analysis.
John
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John
I like the Dumbo analogy !
I find it very fitting to allot of archery widgets !!
As I only do a stick with a string I will leave the rest for you folks to ponder on !!
Hope to see some of you Michiganders at GLLI !
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Actually, I think y'all got it backards...I believe Dean calls a Target bow one with the reflex in the Tips and Mid limb to close to the riser as Hunting bow able to handle heavier arrows. I am plannin on buildin the Huntin bow he describes as soon as my Osage get dry enough. With the reflex closer to the riser, more limb is working to handle the heavier arrow. I have ate lots a Crow in my life, so ifin I got this un wrong I will get my cook book out!!!. I perfer Crow Fried!!!
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Ok... let me think about it!
Assuming the bow is deflexed is in the riser:
-Full length reflex will result in a more rounded tiller. Because the tips are bending, when compared to the other design, the mass is less, but you have you don't have the same leverage. In fiberglass bows most folks notice that these bows have less handshock, and in wooden bows it would take less set for the same mass.
-End of the limb tapers provide stiff levers. This can increase efficiency, but of course stiff levers are always troublesome- are you overworking the inner limbs? Are the tips too heavy? This is the style I use in my fiberglass lam bows because the fiberglass takes no set, but the stiff tips make great levers (lever use is in TBB vol. 4). Morks like a lightweight recurve, and recurves dominated in speed before, now super light tipped R/D bows are showing who's boss.
For normal arrows, 8+ gpp, so long as the reflex is the same you shouldn't notice any difference in speed or smoothness, and I would think the more even curve of the full length reflex would help with set, and this is pretty more along the lines of the R/D bows that Marc St. Louis builds- clearly those are shooters!