Advice and pointers for making some kids bows?

[LookMomNoSights]

This will be uncharted territory for me,  but I really want to make a few bows for some littler critters,  one being my own at age 3 and a half.  I'm thinking D shaped longbows and these need to 10,12,15 lbs at 15, 18 draw length kinda deals.   I think the challenge here at least in my eyes is with making a glass lam bow .....  and keeping the poundage low enough with the thicknesses of glass available. 
Can you run glass on just the back (has this ever been done?) ,  while using say maple core lam?   Any ideas with this is greatly appreciated .....  it's in it's infant stages and just an idea at this point ..............

[Crooked Stic]

The one guy I know lays them up with 2 in. Glass rips them down the middle think he used .030 glass  and a .040 Pell. Thinking they were 37 in.

[Mad Max]

Try some of these searches
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+kids+bow+Trad+gang&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS770US770&sxsrf=ALiCzsY_Dt_wjdJMI-AIZcdmn2NTmvhwHQ%3A1652827415365&ei=FyWEYs_2Fcmk_QbJ063wDw&ved=0ahUKEwiP3t73zef3AhVJUt8KHclpC_4Q4dUDCA4&oq=how+to+make+kids+bow+Trad+gang&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAw6BwgjELADECc6BwgjELACECdKBAhBGAFKBAhGGABQhA5YqS5gs0NoAXAAeACAAWqIAdEHkgEEMTEuMZgBAKABAcgBAcABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz

[jess stuart]

I build lots of them.  I use 2" .040 glass split into one inch widths.  They are 46" with a 12" riser.  I get the weight range you are looking for with about a .200 stack.  Mine are reflex deflex so that would likely change the draw weight a bit.  Let me know if you have questions or if I can help.

[LookMomNoSights]

Thanks guys, that’s a great start.   Ripping the 2” glass makes a lot of sense    Time to start another project it seems,   I’ll order some “recurve glass” this week and go from there. Thanks again!

[Kirkll]

I’ve done a bunch of them over the years, but my favorite were these mini recurve bows….Sasquatch SS Juniors

[Kirkll]

Btw…. You won5 find em on my website because I don’t sell them…. These are labor of love bows for friends and family kids only…. I’d have to charge $400 apiece to sell em, and they take as much time as a full size bow.

These babies really fling an arrow … lol     Kirk

[LookMomNoSights]

Those are fantastic Kirk,  killer job you did on them looks to be as with all your stuff.  I'm sure very happy little critters as well 

[LookMomNoSights]

Kirk, how long did you make the riser on those little guys?   Looks like a long one,   I imagine they DO whip an arrow with those limbs perspective to that riser!!!!

[Kirkll]

Fade tip to fade tip is 13.5"   38" AMO length measuring tip notch to tip notch around the curve and straight through the belly.  I used .040 glass 1.5" width going into the form. Par lams on the first ones, then i tried a reverse taper on a couple. The reason for the reverse taper was better stability on such thin limbs.

Then i did a par lam with an 8'' tip wedge instead of the reverse taper, and that worked best. Pushed the working portion out further and lengthened the draw max considerably.

The problem with these little RC bows is that the kids out grow them fairly quickly on draw length. I think the ideal youth bow is a R/D long bow about 60"-62" in length with an .003 FT . as they grow and lengthen their draw it gets heavier too. They can use those typically from age 6-12 years old.     Kirk

[LookMomNoSights]

Yes!!!! I feel like they can be into a new bow with each passing year when they are growing like a weed! 
I like you’re idea for the longbow 

[Kirkll]

I’d recommend a conservative R/D style design over a straight ASL design. Use long fades on the risers or power wedges  too. This pushes the working portion out further and increases the draw length capacity considerably.

Take a look at the curves on this one…

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TqtYTHtLoP99Q9Nb9

[Mad Max]

Use long fades on the risers or power wedges  too. This pushes the working portion out further and increases the draw length capacity considerably.

How does that work
Seems like the string angle would be closer to 90* with the long fades verses shorter fades?

When I turned 15 years old I grew 7" that summer

[Kirkll]

Use long fades on the risers or power wedges  too. This pushes the working portion out further and increases the draw length capacity considerably.

How does that work
Seems like the string angle would be closer to 90* with the long fades verses shorter fades?

When I turned 15 years old I grew 7" that summer

Naw man...... With a longer riser and pushing the fades out. It forces the limb to bend further out on the limb giving you a much better string angle... If it starts bending off the fades you loose string angle quickly.

 On top of that, if you use a tip wedge it shortens the working portion where the energy is stored and holds its reflex better. this also contributes to a better string angle that allows much longer draw length.      Kirk

[Longcruise]

When I made bows for my granddaughters I scaled down from my 60-62 inch RD design.  One inch width following Jess Stuart's excellent advice.

So I ended up with working bows but the mistake i made was also using the same taper rate.  Way too much taper plus i didn’t use the tip wedges that go into the full scale bow.

That was just a few years ago and now they are already for full size bows.

[Kirkll]

When I made bows for my granddaughters I scaled down from my 60-62 inch RD design.  One inch width following Jess Stuart's excellent advice.

So I ended up with working bows but the mistake i made was also using the same taper rate.  Way too much taper plus i didn’t use the tip wedges that go into the full scale bow.

That was just a few years ago and now they are already for full size bows.

That’s a common mistake with youth bows and even light weight target bows. With the thinner stack and lighter draw weight,  you loose stability real quickly. On my target weight recurve limbs as well as ultra light youth bows, I use a par or even a reverse taper, and full thickness .040 glass to manage stability. You could even go with a single maple core and .050 glass for a youth bow.

If you go really narrow bows splitting a 2” piece of glass, you need to stick with D shaped long bows with deeper cores. An RC design or even an R/D longbow needs a bit more width to keep it from getting squirrelly.    Kirk