Glass vs All Wood Laminate Bows?

[Bowjunkie]

Nope, tillering trees aren't necessary to make bows... but then neither are lots of other tools we use.

There are legitimate reasons to walk away from the tillering tree before the bow is finished being tillered.... like because it isn't set up to replicate the archer's holds, or isn't used properly and to its fullest capabilities, etc...  such systems can't be trusted... and quite honestly shouldn't be.

On the other hand, I trust my tillering tree to a very fine degree of accuracy, better than I can possibly achieve by feel, with pictures, or mirrors and in order to make the absolute best behaving bows I'm capable of, use it right up to the very end... even come back and check it on the tree repeatedly throughout shooting it in.

It's like tuning or aligning a vehicle for peak performance by feel versus using the proper measuring equipment.

IMO, beginners, most anyone actually, will make better bows, and gain a deeper understanding of them, once they learn to set their tillering tree up and use it properly than they will trying to judge dynamic balance by feel... or by buiding to predetermined ambiguous brace height measurements.

[Roy from Pa]

Making either type of bow is fun and rewarding. Nothing like making your own bow and hunting with it. I make all wood laminate bows. Tried one glass bow and didn't like doing it. Guess I'm an Osage junkie..  

[Archer Dave]

Thanks guys and sorry for the slow response.

I am collecting materials to make a form for one of the Kenny R/D Longbows, and am debating on trying a non glass bow. However it sounds like I should probably build a few with glass before attempting an all wood laminate bow.

I have built several selfbows, so I am not completely unfamiliar with tillering. The laminate bow thing is completely new to me.

I actually do not have an aversion to glass bows. I like my selfbows, but I also like the stability of my glass bows. I do not worry about the glass bows as I do with my selfbows.

Thanks,
Dave

[Whitetail Addict]

Very interesting thread, thank you. I've been  shooting an all wood, R/D laminated longbow made by James Parker for the past couple years. Bamboo back and belly. The bow draws smooth, doesn't stack, no hand shock, and It's fast. Pretty too. I've owned and shot a bunch bows over the years, all wood, and wood/glass laminates. My "Outlaw" is my favorite, hands down. I never realised how sweet and all wood laminated bow could be. I wish I'd had it years ago.

Bob