proper way to measure a bow

[dcmeckel]

What is the correct way to measure a bows length when I want to cut the nock grooves in?I posted a topic about string length and then realized maybe it's not my strings but my bow length where the problem is.

[Roy from Pa]

Measure from string groove to string groove for bows length. I cut my string grooves 3/4 of an inch in from the tips.

[Pat B]

I measure my bows from tip to tip. String nocks are about 3/4" from the tip on the back of the bow. I make my strings with a bowyers knot on the bottom so that is not an issue.

[Sixby]

I make my risers exact length. Measure from the end of the riser to wherever. for instance with a 16 in riser a limb that is 22 inches from the edge of the riser will make a 60 in bow.
AMO is a completely different cat though. Whatever the length of the string is to make the proper brace height is you will add 4 in for a recurve and 3 in fro a longbow and that is the amo.
Example I build a 60 in recurve actual measurement but it takes a 58 in string then I would add 4 in to the 58 and instead of being an AMO of 60 inches in length that 60 in bow is an AMO of 62 inches.  Stupid rules but instead of working off of actual bow length AMO decided to go by string length. It actually makes sense but is extremely confusing. A lot of AMO bows saying 60 in for example will actually be 59 or 58 in if you put a tape on the bow.
The only problem that I have really seen is that customers will sometimes think that a builder doesn't know how to use a tape when all the builder is actually doing is building a bow to fit a string length.

God Bless and hope this doesn't confuse worse
Steve

[Jeremy]

Originally posted by Sixby:

AMO is a completely different cat though. Whatever the length of the string is to make the proper brace height is you will add 4 in for a recurve and 3 in fro a longbow and that is the amo.

NO.  

AMO standards state the bow length is 3 inches longer than the string used to properly brace it.  That's 3 inches for a longbow or a recurve.  

A BIG pet peeve of mine is bowyers not measuring by AMO standards, or worse, marking the bow AMO when it's not.  The other thing that really gets me is string makers who don't measure/mark their strings correctly (measured under tension!)

I should be able to order a mixed batch of strings (12 strand, 8 strand, 18 strand, FF, linen, dacron whatever) at one length and have them fit all of my AMO64" bows.  That's the whole point of the standards.

OK, off my soapbox now and heading for coffee...

[jsweka]

I guess I always just assumed AMO length was simply the length between the string grooves measured along the back of the bow.  You guys got me wondering and I did a Google search and came across this *.pdf.  

 http://www.outlab.it/doc/amostd.pdf  

This is a bit confusing.

I like that when you order a string from 3Rivers you simply order by the string length you need.  I can wrap my feeble mind around that.

[Bent Rig]

I agree with Jeremy , I constructed a string jig off the internet and have made strings for recurves and longbows and they came out perfect . The designated increments of lenght on the jig to place the nail at desired lenght one wants to achieve is found only by measuring the length of whatever  bow (recurve/longbow) from nock to nock , its one formula . No subtracting 2 different numbers for a said design.

[Bent Rig]

"nock to nock" only makes sense because everyone's tips are different lengths .