Has anyone made a reflex/deflex from a stave?
Yes.
It takes the right stave. If you don't have a good stave of the proper shape, you can splice a pair of billets into a handle deflex and then heat the reflex into the ends.
I have heat bent osage into R/D. It was OK but I prefer 2-3" of graduated reflex, less in the center, more at the tips. You end up with basically the same thing.
I've wondered the same thing myself, isn't that what DVS uses his caul design for? I'd check out pics of a couple of his bows if you can find them. I'm sure I've seen one or two of his that had quite a bit of R/D in them?
Maybe he will jump in here and enlighten me.
I'm ready to try. I dried a dripping wet, green hickory stave this summer into an R/D form:
(http://images.imagelinky.com/1298744609.jpg)
Still need to see how it will come out though. Maybe if it works it'll be my swap bow....
Also made a hickory R/D board bow using heat for my middle daughter. That worked out great.
(http://images.imagelinky.com/1298744889.jpg)
She must love that bow, she has th ol' two-handed death grip on it! Just try getting it from me!
So what would be the difference in this type of self bow than a bow with a lot of string follow and fliped tips?
I haven't made one but I bought one from a member on this site. Best shooting primative bow that I've owned.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=042346;p=1
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Glenn