Hello Mc, I did as you are trying. When I started building I copied an existing profile from a bow I had my hands on. Traced it out on some plywood and made two bows that shot well. The Third bow I thought I would make some improvements in the performance department and failed miserably. I thought I would give those tips some really good reflex so they would add more power and speed. I got too radical. You are wise for not wanting to go down that road yet.
Here's what you can do to make your own new design. Take a sheet of plywood and pop a chalk string line for reference. Mark the center of the line and drive nails at key locations like the center of the back of the riser, riser fade tips, end of limb tips. Then weave a piece of fiber glass around these nails so that it holds the glass in place at these locations. With your finger, nudge the mid limb portion of the glass in the deflex direction until it gives you a nice looking bow profile with smooth curves and trace it. You can move the locations of the nails until you get the profile you want for the bow length you want. Let the glass tell you when you are getting too radical with a bend. Smooth flowing curves is easier, nothing abrupt. Using the center of the back of the riser as a benchmark, giving yourself 1.5” deflex and .5” to 1” net reflex (2” to 3” gross reflex) to the tips will give you a moderate design with very good shooting qualities. Hand shock can still exist if you get the balance and timing off with any profile.
Topic: Limb design (Read 454 times)
