So I have one of the cherry staves I cut on 9/11 reduced to the point that I can start laying it out. My plan is to make a pyramid bow 66-72" long with a handle/fade area about 10" long. Will be going from 2 3/4" at the widest point and tapering to 1/2" tips. The stave is clean and straight with a little natural back set and a small bit of twist in one end.
Does this design sound like it will work for cherry. I have not done one before but have read that this is a design that should work for it. I am thinking of a cherry bow for my swap bow and want to practice on it a little first.
Well, I don't know as much as others but we'll see if I'm right when others reply.
It sounds like a good design for cherry to me. I don't think the handle/fade section needs to be that long though. I would think that the more limb that is working, the better.
~Bona
That sounds pretty good. I'd go with the 66" bow for a 28" draw. Like Bona said the handle is a bit long for my liking. I'd put a 4" handle in the center with 1 1/2" fades and have the limbs work into the fades at full draw.
Keep the belly pretty flat.
Pat, "keep the belly pretty flat" ... does cherry have a problem in compression? Would you trap the back? Just curious I've got a piece of cherry.
September of 2011, is your stave dry?
Thanks for the reply's ladies and gents I will incorporate them into the design.
Coaster, I am reducing it to near bow dimentions and then letting it dry some more, I havn't started bending anything yet. I have about 15 staves from this tree and am getting a bunch ready for tillering. I am going to try a few different designs and see what works. I'm reducing another at the moment that will be 60-62" and bend through the handle. Will go with a more traditional flat bow design with that one. I'll have plenty of questions for that one too as I have not done a bend in the handle bow before
Pat, will the short fades on a bulbous handle with the pyramid design, give enough room for the arrow to pass the bow cleanly.
No need to trap the back, Coaster. With a good clean back and a flat belly it should be fine.
A 1 1/2" fade with a bulbous handle is what I use on all mt bows. The top of your hand will be at the narrowest part of that area.
Thanks Pat.
On your bendy handle bows how thick, belly to back, do you make your handles so that they do some of the work.
I do the final tillering of a bendy handle bow coming back towards the handle so the limb bends into the fade. After the rest of the limb is tillered there is less chance of developing a hinge near the fades where the leverage stresses are the most. I never measure thickness but scrape it until I get the bend I want.