what's a good draw weight for a BBO tillered to 24"?

[Bob Barnes]

OK...I was making a 58" BBO awhile back and got it tillered to about 25" when it popped a splinter on the back. I superglued and then artificial sinew wrapped it and did the same on the other limb to match. Since the bow was drawing so well and yet popped a splinter, I thought it might be best to tiller it and mark it for a lower draw weight and length...it would probably be fine, but why ruin a good bow just to find out? ANYWAY... what would be a good draw weight at say 23-24" draw? It's about 40# at 24 right now...is that usable for a teen or someone? I have never made anything but 27-28" draw...so I do not have a clue. thanks much. Bob

[John Scifres]

I'd make it a bit lighter, maybe 30# or so.

[walkabout]

my sister is 13 and shoots a 35 lb at 25 inches or so. boys may be able to pull more

[walkabout]

if you could find someone who shoots short draw 40 lb would work great for that too.

[Bob Barnes]

thanks.


 

[walkabout]

no problem. you could always try to shoot short draw yerself and use it that way too,lol. its not very diferent from normal instinctive aside from the diferent angle. still like pointing your finger though.

[Bob Barnes]

it took me years to get back to a full 28" draw...I'm not about to mess that up.     I may work it to 26" and see what it looks like.  I worked it a bunch today to 24 and it didn't take any set at all...
Bob

[walkabout]

lol, i shoot both actually, its just how i learned. sometimes i get confused a lil but shooting quickly for say rabbit or something its second nature. good luck though,im sure it will work out for ya either way.

[Diamondback59]

hey bob long time  haha  iv had a few do stuff like that just  made em from 25 to 25 lbs  dependin what i figured the wood could do boys still shoot em brock

[ranger 3]

I just fixed one like that and it is 50@28 so far it is holding but it hasn't been shot that much. we'll see

[Bob Barnes]

well I just worked some wood off closer to the fades thinking it would take some stress off the rest of the limbs and pulled it several times to 24"...and it's still about 40@24"...there sure isn't much bow here for a bow that would draw over 50@28...     I'm thinking that I will work it on the tree and try for 45@26...I know lots of guys that would shoot that combo...
Bob

[walkabout]

how close to the edge was the splinter? i was just thinking about trapping and if the splinter was along the edge you could possibly trap the limbs a little and get rid of it, then just retiller it a little lighter to keep stress down some.it might help you get the extra few inches

[Bob Barnes]

the splinter was in the center of the back... which is where I get one the few times I have...
thanks...great idea.  

 

[walkabout]

from what i know boo is supposed to be pretty resilient, surprised to hear about it lifting a splinter, but then again thats whats so great about building bows, each one poses new challenges.45 @ 26 is still pretty good.i saw a rawhide patch done somewhere on a longbow that might help you get it to your full draw length too, but that would mean youd have to remove the artificial sinew and redo it.

[Bob Barnes]

took it down some more...pulled it about 20 times to 25"...looks bent in half... LOL...so I pulled it to 26"...about a half dozen times before I heard it 'tick'.  I pulled it down and it had lifted the same splinter a bit more just outside my wraps...but the tiller still looked good so I wrapped that section plus an inch and did the other limbs the same.  It looks cool with the dark brown sinew wraps next to the natural colored sinew wraps...and if it holds together it will make 45@26 or a couple pounds more.  I'm going to let the super glue dry and then try it again.  I'll quit if the tiller still looks OK and I have pulled it back at least 50 times to 26".

[walkabout]

haha sounds like the woods just as persistent as you are. i gotta agree the artificial sinew color goes really good with some woods, my red oak lb has a string made from the stuff and its really dark from age and me waxing it.

[DCM]

To answer the original inquire, wife and dotter seem to like bows in the 40# to 45# @ 28".  They draw them no more than 24", probably closer to 22".  You could roll back the # by 2.5#/" and figure 30# @ 24", or 25# @ 22".  They are probably at the lower end of the range, shooting very infrequently.

Hope your project turns out good.

[Bob Barnes]

if it makes it...it will probably be a mojam auction bow...     I have to stick something in there...
thanks for the input.


 

[walkabout]

lol im in the same situation now, my sisters bow developed a crack in the bottom limb after i low braced it, slow going now. best of luck to the both of us.

[Bob Barnes]

man...hate to hear that...sounds like you have the right attitude though...every piece of wood is different and we just have to do what it takes...
Bob