Bow shelf

[Wolftrail]

Exactly how should an arrow shelf be built for a wooden bow or any trad bow for that matter.  Should the arrow make contact with the center of the shelf or near the belly.   I was told that the arrow should rest in the center.   :rolleyes:

[Bvas]

I try to make the contact point directly above the throat of the handle.  This is basically the "pivot point" if you were to torque the bow.  So movement here would be least.  Thus least effects on the arrow.

[Wolftrail]

Ok I get it, how about on a straight handle bow.

"were to torque the bow"  what does that have to do with arrow contact..?

[Roy from Pa]

Belly and or what Brad said.

[Bvas]

Any movement you have with the bow hand whether it be twisting or  torquing will be exaggerated the further from your center or pivot point you are.

[Roy from Pa]

Yupper

[Wolftrail]

Originally posted by Bvas:
Any movement you have with the bow hand whether it be twisting or  torquing will be exaggerated the further from your center or pivot point you are.

Thanks, that explains it.        :cool:

[YosemiteSam]

I still have a lot to learn here so take this for what it's worth.  Whenever I've cut a shelf in, I'm still at least a 1/4" past center because I'm too chicken to go further than that and I don't know of any other bowyers locally from whom I could ask for advice on each bow.  But I've noticed that my bows are a LOT more forgiving to shoot when I push the contact point toward the back of the bow.  It's the same as reducing the strike plate thickness since this dramatically changes the angle of deflection.  So the arrows become less sensitive to spine issues, draw length inconsistencies, etc.  My handles aren't that thick anyway -- 1.5" at the thickest point.  So whatever I'm giving up in pivot points is easily offset by the lower angle of deflection.

Again, I'm just building board bows.  But the difference in "shoot-ability" is noticeable for me the further out I can push that contact point.  Cutting in closer to center, should I dare, and moving the contact point back toward the belly seems like it could do better based on what some of you are saying.  Feel free to correct me if I'm missing something.

[Wolftrail]

@ YosemiteSam:
1/4" past center is to much if you use 11/32"  shafts half of that is about 5/32".


All I build is wood bows, not an expert by no means.  My work area dictates what equipment I can have, but never the less many bowyers have built much better bows than me with hand tools.

As far as center cut goes, I dont go there because of the fear of going to thin in that area and possibly breaking.  Some of my bows are very close to center cut, but I would never go beyond that.

Any way make a long story short I missed something along the way in the last 6 years building bows, and that was not building the shelf right.
All my bows are different 3 piece 67", 63" etc...etc..
When I corrected the shelf contact point the bows all shot dead on been anywhere from 35# to 45#.. and using wood arrows spined at 35#.. To many of us are quick to blame spine when its something else.

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MyArchery
 http://myarchery.byethost18.com
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[Roy from Pa]

http://www.acsbows.com/bowsetup.html

[Bvas]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
 http://www.acsbows.com/bowsetup.html  

Exactly!

Wolf, I believe he means 1/4 shy of center.

Yosemite, I understand what you are saying.
At brace it would show some deflection change, but at full draw this deflection change would be very small. Howeve, it might be just enough of a difference to alter the needed arrow spine. Which could explain why they seem more accurate.