Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on September 18, 2020, 11:46:52 am

Title: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 18, 2020, 11:46:52 am
My new bow is 52 NTN. Do I still go with a 6" BH(approx) or do I scale it down? The only other time I've made a short bow was for my grandson and I reduced the BH.
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: Jakesnyder on September 18, 2020, 12:22:51 pm
Halfeye always used like a 4in average bh and ya know he made em short!
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 18, 2020, 12:34:32 pm
Solid source ;D Did he hold them in a particular way to avoid wrist slap?
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: Jakesnyder on September 18, 2020, 03:14:01 pm
I don't think so. I know from experience if you rotate the bottom of your bow hand out away from the bow a little you can avoid some of it. Primitive man almost had to of used arm guards (and I know some did) or they built some pretty big callouses on there arms :D
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: bradsmith2010 on September 18, 2020, 03:16:51 pm
A short bow with low brace,, is gonna hit your wrist,,arm guard needed,
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 18, 2020, 03:48:54 pm
I really overestimated the amount of wood I needed for this. I've got a tight long string on it and I'm pulling 35#@ 5". I think I have to watch it as I have a feeling that when things start to move, they'll move fast.
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: PatM on September 18, 2020, 04:01:29 pm
You can find pics of  half eye shooting with a slight crook to the elbow and wrist which keeps the arm well out of the way.  If any part was hit it would be the base of the thumb.

 Since you are likely using no stretch the chances of being hit decrease greatly.

 Reducing the brace height relative to bow length makes sense.
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: bradsmith2010 on September 18, 2020, 04:15:50 pm
ok maybe my wrist is big,, :)
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 18, 2020, 06:23:12 pm
A question. I'm tillering away with the shortest long string I can get on. It's pulling 35#@ 8". A long way to go and the limb is getting kind of thin. It crosses my mind that I might be able to get 50# instead of 35#. I pulled it to 40 something and changed my mind. Now it feels soft so I pull it to 35#. It goes to 14". I'm thinking lots of set, I screwed it up. So I measured the reflex and it's still within 1/4" of where it was which is 1/2" higher than when I took it off the caul. The bow seems fine it just took a jump from 8" to 14" without doing anything. Is it possible for a bow to take set, as in lose DW without losing any reflex. I thought measuring the reflex was a good way of checking for set. Puzzled.
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: Selfbowman on September 18, 2020, 06:46:08 pm
DC did you trace the bow off the caul. IT took set just happened mid limb in or the tiller was perfect and the entire limbs took set. Maybe Arvin
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: willie on September 18, 2020, 06:50:34 pm
Quote
Is it possible for a bow to take set, as in lose DW without losing any reflex.
most of the time set is considered the permanent deformation, or visible change in limb profile, so I suppose not.

But if you are asking if the wood has been compromised, then yes, the stiffness has changed. Think of Badgers "no set tillering". It's a method to detect the change in stiffness that precedes visible set taking.
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 18, 2020, 07:40:37 pm
DC did you trace the bow off the caul. IT took set just happened mid limb in or the tiller was perfect and the entire limbs took set. Maybe Arvin
Yes I did and right now it shows more reflex along the full length of both limbs than it had right off the caul.

It's a method to detect the change in stiffness that precedes visible set taking.

It seems like a lot of change but in the absence of anything else that must be it
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: mmattockx on September 18, 2020, 10:59:37 pm
I've got a tight long string on it and I'm pulling 35#@ 5".

 (lol)

Overpulled and not even to brace yet... I sympathize.


It seems like a lot of change but in the absence of anything else that must be it

Have you been keeping track of the weight at various draw lengths? Badger's method works great, but the problem is it shows me as soon as I have screwed up, but too late to avoid it...


Mark
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 19, 2020, 10:06:11 am
I took a closer look on the tree this morning and noticed a bit of a weak spot. Is it possible that on a short bow the effect of a little screwup is magnified?
I do think that I should have made a caul especially for this bow. I just slid the bow toward the tip end of the caul but by the time it's braced there is not a lot of recurve left. I'll finish my coffee and fly at it.
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: Selfbowman on September 19, 2020, 10:10:13 am
DC did you trace the bow off the caul. IT took set just happened mid limb in or the tiller was perfect and the entire limbs took set. Maybe Arvin
[/quote]
Yes I did and right now it shows more reflex along the full length of both limbs than it had right off the caul.
 Ok DC was the wood dry? I will hush and learn. Arvin
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 19, 2020, 10:39:17 am
Yup it's dry, been in the shop for years. Don't hush, any idea is welcome :)
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: willie on September 19, 2020, 11:17:22 am
Badger's method works great, but the problem is it shows me as soon as I have screwed up, but too late to avoid it...

I use a fixed weight and measure the draw length to the eighth. let the weight settle for a bit, then measure.
I think I can see changes sooner.
I also don't use full weight for most of my tillering.
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: DC on September 19, 2020, 11:28:23 am
I've never been able to get no set to work. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. If I pull a bow to, say 20", and hold it there to try and get a solid weight reading, the weight keeps dropping. Slowly but pretty steady. So whether I'm gaining or losing weight depends on how long I hold the scale. Add reflex gain from glued in reflex and I get lost. Actually this bow was the first bow I've done where I could hold the draw in one spot and have the scale stay steady. I think it was because it was so much overbuilt. My mind also wanders and I lose track of where I was ;D
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: mmattockx on September 19, 2020, 11:31:38 am
Yup it's dry, been in the shop for years.

Did you say that with a straight face? You live on an island, there isn't a 'dry' anything around you.  ;D


I use a fixed weight and measure the draw length to the eighth. let the weight settle for a bit, then measure.
I think I can see changes sooner.
I also don't use full weight for most of my tillering.

The finer the increment, the better I expect.

What percentage of target weight do you use for tillering? When do you start working up towards full weight?


Mark
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: willie on September 19, 2020, 12:54:14 pm
Quote
Slowly but pretty steady. So whether I'm gaining or losing weight depends on how long I hold the scale.
that's pretty much the reason I only tiller at half weight to begin with.
Quote
When do you start working up towards full weight?
let me see if I can find my notes. 
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: bradsmith2010 on September 19, 2020, 02:11:44 pm
yes I tiller at lighter weight, jusg estimating where it would end up,
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: aznboi3644 on September 19, 2020, 02:13:11 pm
I brace my short bows between 4-4.5”. I may get. Little slap at the base of my wrist but rarely. 
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: bradsmith2010 on September 19, 2020, 03:38:26 pm
I start tillering at full weight last couple inches of draw
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: willie on September 19, 2020, 04:01:11 pm
Brad,
I have only done a few bows this way and am still working out a method.  How much less weight do you work with initially, and how much padding do you give your estimate when projecting what the draw length will be at full draw weight?
Title: Re: Shorty BH
Post by: bradsmith2010 on September 19, 2020, 04:30:14 pm
Willie I wish I had a more exact formula,, but say I want the bow to be 50
I start pulling to around 40 ish,, not sure it does any good, ,but I dont want to overstrain till I get it pretty even,, on a character osage,, it can be tricky,,
then when I feel its pretty even , I will start to pull to to full weight,, I estimate 2 1/2 pounds inch when I am estimating,,if its 40 at 20 then I figure it would be bout 50 at 24
I would have to look at my notes too,, :NN