Need for speed???

[Joey V.]

I was comparing the limbs for speed I have built out of "action wood", "Super Boo", and Ones with lams of carbon fiber in them, and everyone in between.  My chronograph is working correctly and no issue there and all the limbs are within like 5 FPS of each other.  The cost difference of the limbs are double for carbons and "Action woods".  My thinnest width limbs that have lams of carbon fiber in them are the fastest by about 3-5 fps on avg but it could be my brain pulling just a bit harder to "force" a subconscious better result.  I guess my question is: Is there a true difference of speed with the so called fast lams in comparison to the good old maple or whatever wood is cheapest lams?  I think it all has to do with limb design rather than material  :confused:  ???

[Pat B]

I really don't think that the wood in a glass lam bow limb makes that much difference. The glass and the design of the limb would have more of an effect.
  Take this from someone that has made only one glass lam bow and it was a failure.  d;^)

[tawmio]

I have a gut feeling that if you did another test putting the limbs on a scale i would guess the lightest limb would also be the fastest assuming the wedge is made out of the same material and same size.

[Swissbow]

I agree that with the same design there is not that much of a difference between different wood. Kenny has shown that with his test bows he has made a while ago. If I remember correctly there was also not that much of a difference in speed between the different bows.

But if on the other hand you put a certain wood into a design that takes advantage of the strength of that wood then I believe you can build a very fast bow. I'm afraid though that this can be a very time and money consuming process.

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Andy

[jess stuart]

Did you find the limbs with the carbon to shoot differently?  The reason I ask is I built one with carbon, don't really know if it was faster or not.  Didn't live long enough to run through the chronograph, but it felt different when I shot it, totally dead in the hand.  I am working on another with carbon only on the back and hopefully with better results than the first.

I tend to agree with the corewoods make only a very small difference.  The design is much more important, but one or two feet here and there can make a good bow into a great bow or at least when to comes to speed.

[Joey V.]

sorry for the delay Jess I was goose hunting.  No I didn't get one....  
Anyway yes the carbon limbs seam dead in the hand and I like to use it more for stability and strength.  The fact that it was a little faster is a added bonus.  I also put the carbon either on the back or as close to the back last lamination as possible.  I like pretty woods and clear glass so I usually am about the third lam in from the back. I also find with carbon that the limbs do not reverberate after the shot and that is why it feels dead.  Not to drool on but it also lets me have a thinner limb without breaking so I have less air resistance which is why it is fast I think.  I feel it is worth the extra cash for carbon but only under certain circumstances...