Primitive Archer

Increasing length will help spread out your stress. Assuming you tiller properly.

The longer you go for a certain draw weight. The more wood it requires to achieve that same draw weight.

If you tiller a bow to a certain weight and then decide to shorten it a couple inches it will increase the draw weight. Also probably throw off the tiller. To long of a bow usually doesn’t perform as well as an optimal length bow. However it does perform better than a broken bow and does increase your odds of having a working bow.

If you want to increase weight on a narrow stave and keep normal length. You need to be thicker.
Thickness is 8 times stiffer than width.

It comes down to what the stave has to offer, and how comfortable you are trying to get it.

Bjrogg

PS I don’t recall what type of wood you have. White wood harvested in growing season. The bark and cambium “slip” right off. I peel split and seal as soon as possible. Reduce it close to bow dimensions helps a lot


Yellow wood I like to remove bark and sapwood. Preferably chase a ring and seal but at least seal right away. You can leave bark on and seal ends , but bugs can be a big problem

Bjrogg

I probably didn't word number 2 right. If I want to reach a certain poundage on a narrow stave, can I increase length and thickness to lessen the chance of it blowing up? Does it add too much mass to be worth it?

fast answers
-rounding off corners should be enough in a sapling.
-Increasing length leaving all other measures the same (including draw lenght) will result in lower poundage.
-it depends on wood. I usually peel and seal. Peeling is easier on fresh cut in the right season

Dave i second your amazing work.  Ive been watching your horn bow progress and just so impressed with how this one came together.

Thanks Doug.  Very kind.  Thanks for following along. 

I believe the hole is from an old dead limb that died & rotted out and the tree healed itself by growing around it.  Hopefully  i can safely tiller and it doesnt break. Here is the belly side of that holy maple.