making a good bow a great bow

[polhemus]

Ive been making glass backed long bows for a short time now and shooting them roughly the same. Im pretty happy with the results so far, but I want to make my bows the best they can be.  Ive got a pretty good grasp of the basics, but I want to take it to the next level. So my questions what things can I do to make a good bow a great one?  For instance, what seperates some of the low end bows that are out there to the high end ones?  What qualities do these bows have that make them so vauble?  Any suggestions or comments would be greatly apprieciated.


Thanks!

[sbschindler]

Well if it shoots pretty decent then its all finish from there on, make it look purty

[Bodork]

I think that fit and finish are two qualities that set some bows apart from others. If you look at a bow real close, you can tell if the maker rushed through the process or really took the time to make things fit tight. The tip overlays blending smoothly is one thing I look at. Hold the bow in the glare of a light and look for flat spots or high spots. Look at the edges of the limbs. To me, if the maker took the time to sand all the flaws out, he probably takes the time to make sure everything you don't see is well taken care of also. I'm also kind of a stickler for getting the grain filled before final finish. Things like this tell me alot about the quality of a bow.
 Of course, smooth draw and quietness are very important and a lot of people look at speed to mean a bow is worth alot. The most expensive bow out there might appeal to most people, but there will always be someone that just doesn't like it. That's why there are so many available.
 Just my 2 cents, Mike

[woodchucker]

Personally.....I buy a good bow.

It becomes a GREAT bow after I kill a few deer with it!!!!!  

[Dave Bulla]

I figure there are two distinctions of "great bow"  

One is craftsmanship related as in joinery, fit, finish, glue lines, fadeouts, symetry etc.

The other is performance related as in speed, cast, quietness, stability and general shootability.

Most bowyers seem to say that almost everything is a tradeoff.  For example, most say that making a bow really fast usually makes it less stable or forgiving.  

I've also heard some very good bowyers say that there is no one thing rather a lot of little things that give 1 or 2 FPS here and there but if you incorporate 5 things that make the bow only 2 FPS (each) faster you have a whole 10 FPS more speed which is quite significant.  It's things like limb material, design, mass, shape, riser length, reflex, deflex etc.

I figure you could spend a lifetime chasing changes that give more speed without sacrificing stability and come up with a pretty nice bow....

The Jack Howard Gamemaster bows and Adcocks ACS bows are good examples of this.  So are Morrisons and Fedoras.

[JBiorn]

I have a hard time believing that the difference between a 500 dollar bow and a 1000 dollar bow is merely in the finish. Even I can polish a stick until its pretty.

 I think its a refined, tried and tested design. I think its not just material, but the knowledge the bowyer has of the properties of each wood--and how to use them together to make a sweet shooting bow. A good selfbow builder will be very in tune with the process of building out of the wood the customer has chosen and make subtle design changes according to wood characteristics.

 I'm no bowyer, but I like to think that when I spend a large pile of money on a bow, its for a lot more than a pretty finish.

[Voodoofire1]

Attention to detail!!, everything has to work together and do it very well too, The devil is in the details, and the details start as soon as you contemplate the first piece at the beginning of the assembly, if you want to make a great bow, you need to start with a great foundation, do not cut corners, "haste makes waste" applies here, take your time, do each step, each piece to the best of your ability, it will show in the final product, only you know what that next level is in your ability, go for it,keep going for it and one day you will hold up a great bow!

[onemississipp]

I'm going to have to agree with the guys who say it is the finish and detials.

If you shop around you will see the same bow in different "Models".

These different models are the same bow, the only changes being made are to the wood combos, added handle over lays, tip over lays, more contour handles. Then add a signature for a couple more hundred.

Here is a example..

Montana longbow (Base model)....$299.99

"Our 64in. Montana Longbow is quick and smooth. Its graceful limbs are faced and backed with black fiberglass overlays. The limb tips are reinforced for a strong draw. The arrow shelf is crowned and cut on center. FastFlight strings and soft leather grip are standard."

Montana longbow Supreme ....$719.99

"Exotic woods highlight this handsome and great shooting 64in. longbow. From its Zebra wood core limbs to the solid Rosewood and Zebra wood Riser with decorative shims, this beauty stands out from the crowd. Fiberglass overlayed tips reinforce the longbow's exotic wood laminates. Includes soft leather grip, FastFlight string and original, Bear-designed brass medallion."

[Tom Leemans]

details

[Flesner]

A good bow is quiet, dependable, and shoots with enough energy to get an arrow through a deer (or whatever you are hunting).

A "great" bow is a "good" bow that fits me so well that it almost seems to shoot itself. The arrow arrives on target almost without concious thought.

A pretty finish, superb craftsmanship, and arrow speed don't mean squat if I can't consistently hit with it.

I'll hunt with a $10.00 yard sale bow over a $1000 custom job any day if I find the bargain bow more comfortable.

[polhemus]

thank you everyone who repied. I greatly apprieciate it!  Happy hunting this season!