Kenny, this was an outstanding experiment and what excellent results from your bows!  I think it is a testament to all the fine work you've put into tinkering that form over the years.  Thanks for taking the time to do this, I am impressed!

Hey Kenny,

I'm new to all this, and haven't got to the stage where I'm needing this yet! However I really enjoyed it and do think this thread should go under Topic Archives and be kept for future referrals!

Thanks for the hard work!

Thanks guys,I'm thinkin about building one with a 4" tip wedge to stiffen the tips and shorten the working limb......

I would stay with same stack to get a #s increase(?)(guessing about 3# more) and check speed with same hooter shooter!

Kenny,
     For a guy like me  just trying to get his feet wet in this stuff this was very informative.
Really enjoyed it.Great thread. And by the way those are some beautiful bows!
       

Thanks Ed !!

Have you tried natural bamboo to see how it compares to the actionboo. I'd think it would be faster without all the extra glue.

I would love to see the tests with stiff tips. Thanks for the information. Does any of the bows you shot feel better drawing back over the other? Out of those limb cores which one was thge lightest as for weight of the material?
Thanks
Bob

Jesse,I have not tried nat boo yet,that would be an interesting test tho!

Bob,I must be insensitive as all getout! I can't tell boo from maple!

I didn't weigh the lams,but the walnut came out about 5# lite both times and was slightly quicker I think.

This winter I plan on doing one with a tip wedge,and tiller before gluing on grip caps. Then I can add a tapered glass belly power lam if needed.
Just built a jig to taper glass .050 to 0 in 11"

Kenny, I got that bow put together with a PW 6 inches past the fades- the tips needed some help so I added a 4 inch tapered glass on the tip belly which stiffened the tips up. After trapping there was only a few extra lbs added to the expected finished weight- but it shoots very fast and hard for a mid 40# bow.

Very nice bows Kenny!!

Purty bows! Please throw my name in!

And thank you!

add me thank you

I've decided to build a bow next week for the ongoing test....

I think I'll build a walnut core,black glass just like the others,except add a tip wedge.

Then if that works the fades too much,I'll add a glass .050 to 0 power lam before putting the grip cap and window accent on. I can even test speed before and after on the p-lam.

Even thinkin on to the next test already.....   :p

Sounds good cant wait to see the numbers.  I havent tried the tip wedge but a power lam in that form performs great and feels really nice.  How long you going with the tip wedge? I was goint to try a 10 incher in black glass when I had the chance.  Just to see.

Shawn

Was thinkin 6" in from nocks,maybe .006" per inch or so.  Gotta warm the shop and lay a couple bows on the table,1 strung,one unstrung and study a bit....

Thanks for taking the time to do this testing Kenny. I cant believe how fast you can turn one out, yet maintain such quality. This testing seems as good as it gets, since all bows are being built so close together.
Ken

Thanks Ken,ideally they would all turn out the exact same width and weight too,but that is part of the test to see diff #s for diff wood cores! LOL

I'll be interested to see how much diff in weight and performance the tip wedge and p-lams make....

I am very interested too. I really want to learn about the tip wedge and what it does for performance and strung profile.

Someone tell me, this may be one of those tested and proven wrong ideas but would trapping mid limb out to the tips help if the tip wedge works the fades too much? Maybe the tip wedge can alow more trapping at the tips since wood is 8 times as strong in thickness and only 2 times as strong in width. I wonder if trapping the belly in effect takes wood strength from width or thickness the most. Hopefully width because I was wondering if adding tip wedges would allow you to take more weight in wood off by trapping the belly at the tips than you added by inserting the tip wedge (maybe 2 or 3 times the weight) and still have stronger and more lively tips than normal due to the wedge, but lighter due to trapping. Use a carbon tip wedge and it could even be more net weight loss. Carbon is lighter than wood right? That may even look cool like a racing stripe. Don't you just insert the wedge somewhere between the laminations?? I too think it would be cool to chrono this one before and after each modification you decide to do.

Hey Kenney I love what you are doing here. To have a complete test it seems we need two more bows made the first way. One with Osage and one with real Tonkin cane cores. I believe that the Tonkin would be the fastest. The action boo has the glue which is heavier and makes it about the same in my mind. But what if the glue was not in there? There is something to Tonkin. The flyrod makers all swear by it. Plus Osage should be tested. I have made many wood bows and it is the best IMHO. What do you think Kenney?

I have heard and read a lot about tip wedges and how it's supposed to add performance, but i have never seen how it's done. I'm looking forward to see how those bows with the tip wedges perform. The bows you have built earlier are just AWESOME ( I love that black glas ) and they perform great. I wonder how much of a difference the tip wedges can make.