Recommendation for first laminated longbow

[Clo-z-nuff]

My lovely bride gave me a longbow kit from Bingham for Christmas.  I got the oven done and the press glued up over the break and now I'm wondering if my first bow should be a straight limb or R/D limb bow.  I've never shot a R/D design longbow before so I'm thinking this is the way I'll go but I sure do like the looks and simplicity of a straight limb.  Any opinions or advice?  Considering this is my first bow, are there any inherent "difficulties" in making one over the other?

[tenbrook]

It will be much easier to build the bow/form if its a straight limb bow.  Having said that the r/d bow shoots nicer IMO.

[Sigmazxcs]

Heard too many good stuffs about a r/d hybrid. Fast, quite as whisper, forgiving and basically fantastic.
Haven't for the privilege to try one though.

[JamesV]

Either style of longbow will serve you well. You will need to build a form for the design you select and order your materials accordingly. Bingham's can help you with materials and plans for the bow you decide on. Take your time and enjoy the process, you will do fine.

Good luck,

James

[Clo-z-nuff]

Yeah, at this point the press is glued up and the R/D kit that I have can be used for both types of bows, I just need to cut the press for a straight or R/D limb.  I'm pretty sure I'll be making another press in the future!  Thanks for the replies so far...keep 'em coming.

[Dimondback]

Having built both types (Bingham's Flat and KennyM's R/D plans with a Bighams's Press Kit), both are able to be build out of your garage without too much frustration. The hardest part for me is getting the fades perfect and matching the curve of the riser (R/D) to match the limb laminations in the form without leaving any gaps and still maintaining "square" across the whole face. There was a recent thread on here on the best methods to make this process easier that you should look up. The straight limbed bow does not require any of this shaping other than ensuring that you have paper thin fades that gradually taper. Most of all....work slow and be patient...power tools ruin bows and bow pieces a lot faster than doing it by hand. I ruined a beautiful and expensive piece of zebrawood by getting in a hurry on my fades on the belt sander. (It is now being used as scrap to make accent pieces and limb tips on kids bows so not a total loss     ) Good luck have fun! Feel free to PM me with any situations you run in to as I likely had the same issues and may be able to tell ya how I dealt with it!....Both shoot great but I REALLY like my R/D and how it shoots!

[goobersan]

Go for the hybrid. My first bows are from this form. Gotta take your time getting everything to fit properly but I think it's worth it

[Clo-z-nuff]

R/D it is!  Thanks for the input.  I will be firing up the bandsaw Saturday.

[jsweka]

Now wait a minute.  I've got to plead the case for the straight limbed bow.
1) It's and easier build. I have never had the string on a straight limbed bow NOT track down the center and I rarely ever need to do any tillering to get the limbs to bend evenly.
2) They are probably the most durable of bow designs.  If you run out of arrows you can use it as a spear without much chance of damage to the bow.  
3) They are the most forgiving of bows to shoot - It's hard to disagree with the opinion of someone like Howard Hill.
4) You don't need string silencers.
5) You can't beat the classy simple lines of a Hill Style bow.  It just screams of the romance of traditional archery.
6) The gentle thump it gives you when you shoot lets you know you're handling something that is alive with character.
7) Everyone has a r/d.  You want to stand out a 3D shoot don't you?
8) How could >800 pages of the Hill bow thread be wrong?

[7 Lakes]

If I read correctly you already have the laminations kit from Bingham.  The kit for a straight bow and R/D bow are not the same.  The Straight Limb kit will have a lamination stack that's too heavy for the R/D form.  

Other than that I'll have to go with jsweka on this one.

[Clo-z-nuff]

Ooooohhhhh.  Thanks 7 Lakes I wasn't aware of that.  The kit is for a R/D bow.  So if I order limb lamination kits in the future I will need to specify straight or R/D limbs...makes sense.

[kennym]

Yep, a lot of variables make diff in weight, bow length , width , taper rate, riser length, profile of limb, etc

Don't let it scare ya off tho. Heck, someone here has built about any style and length and will help you out!

Good luck with whatever flavor bow you decide on!!

[jsweka]

Well I guess if you have r/d kit laminations, you should make a r/d bow.

I was hoping to bring another bowyer to the dark side of straight limbed bows.

[goobersan]

Not to worry John, only my 1st bows are R/D.  

[Clo-z-nuff]

I must admit, there's no better looking bow imo than a Hill style bow.  Don't worry, I already bought another sheet of plywood to make a straight press!

[jsweka]

Originally posted by Clo-z-nuff:
I must admit, there's no better looking bow imo than a Hill style bow.  Don't worry, I already bought another sheet of plywood to make a straight press!

 

I have also built a few r/d bows and I may even build one for this years swap depending on what I think my recipient might like better.  They do have less handshock and are faster, but for whatever reason I just shoot better with a Hill style bow.  Maybe it's just because I've gotten so use to shooting that style.

[bigbob2]

Have to agree with you John.Just somethin about the clean lines of a HH style flat laid bow that floats my boat. i still make D/r bows but prefer the H.H

[hickorystyk]

I personally think the straight limb bow is easier to make.  I never used a form for a straight limb bow, just placed it in the heat box.  I built a form for r/d bows out of a 2x4 and made interchangeable blocks for different limb designs.  If you go with the r/d bow don't forget to draw your limb profile before the glue up.  Hard to draw on the curved limbs.