Bows cut past 3/16" center

[mj seratt]

I think Bob Lee bows are 3/16 past center.

Murray

[Producer]

Stalker Wolverine is 3/16th's and with the static limbs you get very fast darts flying and it is a beautiful sight to see.

[B.Westbrook]

Zipper

[kat]

Schafer Silvertips (recurves).

[DanielB89]

not doubting any of these, but as Allen stated, and my findings as well, I've shot a few of the mentioned cut a true 3/16" back center and the arrow does not go straight through the center of the limbs.

That is what i'm looking for.  Not just being cut 3/16" past center.  When you add a strike plate they're way outside of center.

[Sixby]

Sorry about my misreading the question. I thought it was bows that are cut 3/16 past center. I can build one cut past center 1/2 inch. Just haven't had any one want that. 1/4 in is no real problem at all. Other things such as shelf radiusing and sight window radiusing , fletch clearance ect could also be contributing factors. To build to true center, shot one will have to know the diameter of arrow, sideplate thickness ect, or just go overboard and the person tuning can use an adjustable rest or sideplate, or shim out the sideplate. That would work for you.

God bless, Steve

[Sirius Black]

I must be an odd one. I've always found bows cut well past center to be harder to tune, where those either cut to center, or shy of center - no problem. Daniel, great strings! BCY-X is awesome!

[Draven]

Samick Sage is supposed to be also 3/16" cut past centre.

[Greg Owen]

Sorry to bring up an slightly old topic but ....
When I am setting up a wheelie bow to shoot, I generally take 2 chairs or tables and space them so I can place the bow limbs on them and have the bow sit with the string horizontal.  Then I nock an arrow and let gravity pull it straight down (plumb bob).  I then adjust the plunger and nock point height so the arrow sits on the rest just barely touching the rest and plunger. I know a handmade traditional bow might have inconsistencies but I would think you could do the same with most bows to check centershot capability.  If there is space between the arrow and the riser build out the strike plate to just touch.

[jabodnar]

Daniel, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to piggy back on your post a bit as I have a bow on order that is cut well past center.

If your bow is set up so the arrow is perfectly centered and you're shooting off the shelf, is there any worry about fletching clearance?  

I'm assuming you would have little to no arrow flex like you would see on a bow not cut past center.

[DanielB89]

I have since really inspected my bow and it isn't 100% dead nuts center, but it is very very close.  I believe that really cuts down on the paradox needed allowing it to have a much more forgiving arrow set up.

[crazynate]

My bows that are true center tune fine with a bare shaft but with feathers I get contact because the shelf  is to wide. I end up building outtthe side plate

[forestdweller]

Originally posted by Sirius Black:
I must be an odd one. I've always found bows cut well past center to be harder to tune, where those either cut to center, or shy of center - no problem. Daniel, great strings! BCY-X is awesome!

This could be because the tendency is that the more the shelf is cut in the longer and wider the shelf tends to be.

I know when I was shooting 3/16" past center I could not get rid of nock high yet with my current bow I don't have any nock high or low issues because it has a very narrow and short shelf partly due to it being not even cut to center.

If your form is on point though the difference in tuning is minimal in my opinion. Even if you short draw feathers will correct an arrows flight very quickly.

[tecum-tha]

Cutting past center in an all wood riser is a mechanical no no. It is not good for durability and can lead to sudden failures. It introduces torque stress into the riser at the thinnest part of the riser.
If you cut past center, it must be a laminated riser or a manmade material enhanced wood or other material(phenolic, dymondwood, micarta etc.)
No problem in metal risers of course, but akk anisotropic materials do not like torque of any kind.
Tuning is no big deal. I shoot bows from past center to +7/16". Prefer the not cut past center versions over the cut past center bows. Easier to tune. Problems can occur when cut past center if you shoot a super thin stike plate and shafts slimmer than 5/16". If 3/16= 1/2 of 3/8". Your strikeplate must material must make sure your arrow does not point into the wrong direction...

[longbow fanatic 1]

My Morrison ILF Gen 3 (metal) riser is cut 3/8" past center. My A&H is 3/16 past.

[Orion]

Bows with shelves cut past center, because they permit the center of the arrow to get closer to the center of the bow, will shoot a wide range of spines as long as one doesn't under spine.  Can overspine almost indefinitely. The closer to centershot they are, the less the arrow has to flex as it passes the shelf.  That's why one can overspine so much with that type of bow.


However, lining the arrow up such that the string perfectly bisects the shaft is not good for finger shooters.  It works OK for wheelie guys with triggers, who induce very little sideways string movement at release.  

If it's lined up directly on center, the arrow doesn't know which way to flex at release, and will be erratic depending on the quality of the release. Generally, finger shooters will do better to line up the arrow so the right side of the point lines up with the left side of the string, for a right handed shooter.  Vice-versa for a lefty. Such an alignment does require a bow cut quite a bit past center, though it may not need to be 3/16 of an inch, depending narrow diameter.

Regardless, I think that's what you found and reported on in your second post, DanielB. Your arrow is actually lined up a little left of center.  Doubt it would shoot as well for you if it was perfectly centered.  If you have enough room to thin your side plate, give it a try and let us know the result.

[forestdweller]

I agree Orion.

I think a little bit of paradox is actually beneficial to finger shooters which means less center cut. From the slow mo videos I have seen an arrow in paradox quickly straightens itself out.

Another major disadvantage of cut past center risers is that you need to use very stiff shafts since there's less paradox.

I'd imagine once you get into the higher draw weights (60-70#+) tuning past center bows can be a pain especially with the heavy heads some archers on here use.

Also correct me if I'm wrong but paradox usually corrects itself very quickly once past the riser and with feathers.

I can shoot a very overspined arrow and it will still straighten up very quickly using 3X4" feathers to the point where it being very stiff is not noticeable until I shoot it bareshaft using a non cut to center bow.

I think the only benefit to cut past center shelves is that while bareshaft tuning your tune won't be as far off if you use an arrow that is not tuned to your bow (as an example using a .400 spine arrow out of a 40# bow that's cut past center instead of a .500 spine arrow).  

My problem as I already mentioned is that with these well cut past center shelves there's more arrow interaction with the shelf which results in much more nock high than I'm comfortable with.