Pad angle on the riser of a take down bow

[Luzern Guthrie]

Hello, BrushWolf
I just purchased the plans from Bingham for a take down bow. The plans show the pads cut at
a 22 degree angle. On your bow build along I noticed the pads were cut at 17 degrees.
How does the difference in the pad angle affect
the performance of the bow?
                P.s. I have only built one bow
                     and it was a one piece.
                                  Thanks
                                  Luzern

[Crooked Stic]

The flatter pad angle will give you a longer power stroke that should make it perform better. It will also be heavier in draw weight given the stack stays the same. You could build it at22 degrees and add taper wedges to see if you like the flatter angle better.

[Al Dean]

Bob lees are 21 degrees and I think Sliver tips are 21 and Great plains are 21 same as Bingham.  Must be a reason for it.

[Wagstaff]

I did a little research while designing my own.  I found a wide range commonly used.

Longbows   11-14 degrees.  Settled on 12.5

Recurves   17-22 degrees. We settled on 18

Varies with your limb design.

[jess stuart]

As your limb tip gets flatter it will move the limb tips forward.  Which would give you more draw weight but, there are trade offs (always are).  Get those limb tips to far forward and you will begin to lose stability.  Most recurve angles are around 20 degrees for good reason, and have been found to be the best for many designs.

[Wolftrail]

I have not built a glass bow yet, but have built wood 3 piece bows and I use a 7 degree pad angle.  It works for wood an extreme angle of 11+ degrees would require a serious hook at the tip end.

[BrushWolf]

When I started building bows I started with the Bingham plans. I built many bows off those plans that put lots of meat in the freezer. After a while I started to play with things pad angle being one I went slow at first a few degrees at a time. If I remember from the Binghams plans to a 19°added 5#. I then started to play with limb design I add more hook and change the shape some. After that I tried 17° and have since went with an 1 7/16 wide limb. I am now back very close to what the Binghams chart is. Since you have only built one I would follow the plans as close as I could. It will make you a good shooting bow. But to answer the question it will add 10 pounds or so from 22-17. For the limb design changes I made the 17° made a very quiet and quick bow. Just don't forget to take pictures.

[Luzern Guthrie]

Thanks for the feedback fellows I appreciate all your comments. I'm sure that you guys are going to make me a better bow builder.
                               Thanks again
                              ps I'm sure I will have many more questions in the future.

[arrowlauncherdj]

Mine are 17*. But it's all in the design. A straighter riser will need a higher angle. A forward riser can have less of a pad angle

[savage1]

I'm pretty sure Bob lee bows have a wedge on the mating surface of the limb which brings them in close to 18°.

Lou

[Pheonixarcher]

It's ALL in the limb design! Everything from the lam taper rates, the length, shape and thickness of the butt wedge, the amount of deflex and reflex built into the limb, the profile taper, the use of a tip wedge, length of the limb, the size and shape of tip overlays or belly underlays, limb pad angles, and even the materials used make a difference. Every one of these factors has an effect on limb dynamics and performance.

The Bingham's designs are proven to be solid shooting and performing bows. You can customize the looks and feel of the riser and the veneers on the limbs to your own personal desires. But I would suggest that you follow their specs closely, at least on the first one, if only to get the experience of building a three piece and to have a baseline to compare to.

I have built 5 sets of limbs off the same form, making small changes from the above list. I also have riser "gauge" blocks at varying limb pad angles, and I can tell you that 1* difference makes a much bigger change in draw force curve and stability than you'd think!