center shot flat bow

[James Rodney]

Before i start this, i want to say I've already asked a few different people about this and didn't exactly get the feed back that i was looking for. everyone keeps saying that center shot is a waste of time and not "primitive". but in all honesty, that's what i want. a Flat bow, with center shot. i'm just getting into this so my terminology might be a little off.  for starters, i need 30+ draw length, which puts me having to make a 68 in bow.. which is to big for what i want.  I want something shorter, with 50-60# draw @ 30+ inches.  what kind of wood should i use? should i forget making something Flat with center shot? i actually want to hunt with it.  I've tried compounds and hated it, couldn't ever get one with the draw for me. the picture i attached, i'd like to make something like that.. but i'm sure that's something waaayyy down the line for me. BUT i will do it. eventually. 

[JoJoDapyro]

How tall are you? Why the need for a "Short" bow with a long draw? Why the need for center shot? I came from a compound world, and now prefer to shoot off my hand, not even a rest. What you like is what you like, and no one should fault you for that.

Get ready for an addiction, not many make just one.

[James Rodney]

I'm 6'5". and i just don't want a bow almost as tall as me while i'm stalking through the woods. Having to worry about it catching everything.  I don't usually hunt in trees.  I'd also say i'm inexperienced with bow's in general.. my Matthews bow has a 28 inch draw and i really can't get it back to a comfortable full draw, right elbow is bent and can't get my left hand back to get a good aim. and i've mad a small bow for my daughter, more of a rough draft, and the off center(ness) really just kinda erks me..  i suppose i could make one without center shot for me and test the waters with it.  I'm just so used to having it, i think it would throw my game off if i switched.

[bubby]

Well I'd say you need to build a few bows before you try to go short, what exactly is your idea of short anyway, as far as a centershot i wouldn't but there's no reason you can't have a cut in shelf

[James Rodney]

48 inches or so.. is about where i want to be. 50 or 52 is fine as well.
i have 6 staves sitting in a Kiln now.  2 dogwood, which i'm hearing is really hard to work. 2 maples, 2 oaks. i don't see myself giving up on this.  It's addicting.

[Pat B]

 60" bendy handle Woodland style flat bow could work for your 30" draw but it will have to be tillered perfectly.    As for the center shot, it is not necessary unless you don't understand the relationship between the bow and arrow. A well made, properly spined arrow will fly well from any style bow if you make the arrow for the bow and your style of shooting.
 It sounds like you would rather have a glass bow. Bingham Projects(a sponsor of PA) has info about and materials for building glass bows.

[riverrat]

o.k. lets say you want a 50 inch bow. if you go with the very best piece of osage {best bow wood God ever made} , made it bend through the handle {how youd put a shelf on something like that is beyond me} make proper arrows for it {spined right, id assume match them in weight ect so you can be as accurate as you could be}, you could get a 25 in. draw bow. half the bows length. without over working the bow. o.k. lets say you get a exceptional piece of wood, over work it, maybe 26 in draw. bacxk that bow with several layers of sinew, maybe get 28 in. of draw at 50 lbs. might as well put a horn belly on that thing, but there in lays a problem.....horn only bends so far.but hey you could get 60 to 80 lbs at 28 in. sorry i dont see it happening....but like a tailor lets suit you up with a bow , of wood, with a backing if need be, short as possible for your draw and weight expectations... chime in fellas....Tony

[James Rodney]

I'll settle without Center Shot.. I want to make a traditional style bow. Lets say for now, i'm not hunting with it. I just want to have one that i can shoot and get good at shooting with.  If i'm making a Flat bow, out of the wood that i have, what would be your choice to start with?  Dogwood, Maple, or oak?

[Blaflair2]

Maple is easy for beginners. U don't want it kiln dried though. Makes it a little more brittle. U can't go wrong with a 60" bendy handle. I'm 6'4" and adjusted my draw length to 28". Makes things a lot easier.

[James Rodney]

so i should use the wood wet?  i split it, put Glue on the ends and made a makeshift kiln, and threw them in there.. they've only been in there 3 days. 

[PatM]

You need to either  deflex the handle sharply and/or use wider sinewed limbs. Marc St Louis frequently posts bows that are what you are looking for. The centreshot thing is doable but requires that you kind of offset the handle layout or use a beefier handle section with a slightly longer upper fade to move the bend away from the cutout to a safe degree.
  You can  also rather severely "neck" the arrow pass area so that the bow is at least closer to centreshot.

[James Rodney]

deflex is away from you, and reflex is towards you right?

[bowandarrow473]

I think you are looking for a glass bow. The shortest you could go with a stiff handle and 30 inch draw is probably around 66 inches for a selfbow, and that is REALLY pushing the limits.Ive seen some 54 inch stiff handled osage bows that draw 26 inches but it is pushing the wood to its max. I would make a 72 inch selfbow to start and then work your way down to around 68 inches for a stiff handled bow with a shelf. for a bendy handle selfbow you could push it all the way down to around 60 inches or maybe a bit less if your really good. But to get a 30 inch draw at 66 inches for a stiff handled and 60 inches for a bendy, your tiller would need to be PERFECT. For a sinew backed bow you might could get down to the 50 inch range, but again, the tiller would have to be perfect. As for the staves sitting in your drying box, Dogwood is a very good, hard wood, it makes excellent bows. Maple, however is a bit on the soft side, unless its Vine Maple I would be cautious, Red Maple is a good bow wood as well but any other maple and you might need some special design considerations. Oak is a good bow wood in general, do you know what species the Oak and Maple are? That could help us give you some designs.

[Hamish]

For someone who is 6'5  A 68" bow is proportionally the same for someone who is 6' and has a 63" bow, which is quite maneuverable, as I am 5'10' draw 28" and prefer to hunt with stiff handled bows 64-68" long.

Sure you can go shorter, by widening the working part of the limb, up to a certain point, but with a long draw you are going to have to deal with finger pinch due to string angle. This can be alleviated with recurving. All in all not the kind of bow you are going to have good success with if you are a novice bowyer.

I would  consult pro bowyers(both glass and natural materials) and see what they recommend, because as you have found an off the shelf production bow is not comfortable for your large stature. A custom bow from a decent bowyer will fit your needs, yep its going to cost more but you will be shooting quicker than if have to learn how to be a bowyer, then get to the stage where you are skilled enough to properly build the bow you really want.

[bowandarrow473]

Deflex is towards you when you are shooting and reflex is away from you when you are shooting.