OK I'm finally home from work,,,can't really complain it pays the bills.
Bodark & wyatts daddy,,,,,the tiger stripes are a staining technique that I have been experimenting with for a couple years. Now that we have a new digital camera I plan on putting together a "How To" thread and posting it. You can do a search on here for "fiddle back finish" and find threads on this type of staining. That's how I got started on this. I've just tried various ways to apply the stains to get different looks.
Ferret,,,Good eyes Bud! The brace is a hair under 7" but this is where my arrow flight and "arm slap" both seem to be best. I'll usually start out real low and slowly raise it till it stops slapping my arm/wrist as much. I've got "Popeye" forearms as one friend says,,it takes a higher brace to get away from them.
4runr,,,58" with a 30" draw could really be pushing an unbacked bow. Not saying it can't be done with the right piece of wood. A 2 1/4"-2 1/2" wide and thin limb with slightly reflexed tips to keep the string on. It's possible but it would have to be a really clean piece of wood.