Opinions on this R/D design please

[takefive]

I made this one longer with a bit more deflex and much more reflex than my one and only R/D tri-lam.  It's 70" long, 1 1/2" at the fades, tapering to 1/2".  The backing is 1/8" hickory with 1/8" cherry core and 5/16" cherry belly.  Unfortunately it's not going to be a bow because it started to fret on the bottom limb around mid limb.  I should have made the backing half that thickness or less and tillered it better.  It's about 50# @ 27" and the outer limbs are still stiff.   This would have been my 6th bow and tillering it took me out of my small comfort zone, but I don't know how else to learn.  I would like to try it again with an osage belly and make it shorter, 68" or 66".  My draw is 27" and I'm thinking that making it 70" was overkill.  Really like the profile, though.  Just wondering what you experienced R/D builders think?
Here it is braced at 6 1/2" and with an 18" stick.  I was going to take a picture of it on my tillering tree, but there would have been 35+ years worth of my accumulated stuff behind it in my basement.  Nobody should have to see that    :rolleyes:

 

 

[Echatham]

got an unbraced pic?

[takefive]

Oops, knew I forgot something...

 

Here's the back.  Thinking I carried the full width too far.  Should have started the taper much sooner.

 

[John Scifres]

Cherry is weak in compression.  Carrying full width further is a good idea with compression weak woods but you should go wider too.  I have seen a few light weight selfbows from it and a lot of chrysalled heavier bows.  I don't think I've seen it as a core wood.

Osage will do it but I'd make it 1-1/4" and 62-64" NTN.  Start your taper 6" from the fades.  Tiller it nice and round with 6" of stiff, narrow tips.

[takefive]

Thanks for the advice and tips on the dimensions, John.  I'm going to try it again shorter, narrower, and with osage.

[LittleBen]

Love the profile. Need osage or ipe and that could be a real screamer ...

I mean cherry can work (theoretically) but it's not going to make things easier or higher in draw weight .. thats for sure

[takefive]

I got that profile glueing it up on the form I made for Binghams 62" hybrid longbow, Ben.  It just looked like there would be quite a bit of reflex for a longer bow.  70" was overkill, though.  Osage board came in the mail today from Pine Hollow and I hope to work on it this weekend.  Really going to take my time tillering it.  I'm 0 for 3 on my last bows and sure would like a successful one for a change.