Cherry Bow questions

[razorback]

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.

[b.glass]

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

[Pat B]

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.

[coaster500]

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?

[razorback]

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.

[Pat B]

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.

[razorback]

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.

[Pat B]

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.