This is the latest bow I have finished and is my favorite. It has turned out to be a very well rounded bow and just "feels" right when shooting arrows. Here are the details for those interested, photos on down below...
Wood: Red Oak (from a 1x2x6 board). I picked this board because it had some really beautiful grain, multiple colors (heart/sap wood?), and some waviness. The central section of the board was relatively straight grained too.
Length: 62" tip-to-tip, 61" ntn.
Dimensions: handle: 4" long x 1-1/4" wide x 3/4" deep.
fades: 2" long, fades from 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" wide and just under 1/2" deep.
Working limbs: 13-1/2" long x 1-1/2" at fade to 1-1/4" at outer fade
lever: 13-1/2" long with "Eiffel Tower" fades 1-1/4" to roughly 7/16" at tips. Thickness fade from <1/2" to roughly 5/8" then back to 1/2" deep at tips.
Draw: 42# @ 28"
Set: (at tips) 1-1/2", (at end of working limbs) 3/4"
The handle has a very slight bend to it, you can feel it in your hand. I've grown to like this style of handle because it is almost as narrow as my traditionally deep-handled flatbows but I feel the slight bend helps relieve a little stress from the working limbs. I think I could have made the tips narrower or slightly less thick to pick up a few fps, but that's something for a future bow.
This was the first bow I've ever shot through a chronograph (thanks gmc!). It clocked a 10grain/# arrow around 145 fps. I'm confident I could pick up a few fps if i had a lighter string and if I drew to the full 28" (I usually only draw 27-27.5"). Even so, I think this bow shoots out arrows flat and fast, especially considering this is kind of a short bow for red oak with 1-1/2" wide limbs.
Ok, here are all those photos!
I personally think this is rather low set considering the short working limbs and narrow width for a red oak board bow.
A look down the limbs shows the "Eiffel Tower" taper.
The bow strung (about 5-1/2" brace height)
You can sort of see the waviness of the grain on the belly. The back of the bow does not exhibit this patten. It's hard to see in this photo but there is also a beautiful contrast of red and pale wood and some swirls and curls in the grain.
Some of the curliness in the grain (belly side).
Handle detail.
Upper nock.
Lower nock.
And a few "full" draw (actually around MY full draw of 27" inches, I still tiller all my bows to 28"):
I really hope you've enjoyed seeing this. I'm always happy to answer any questions or take any constructive criticism or comments!
