Bowyers , how do you determine and what would you reccommend?

[buckeye_hunter]

In asking this question I would like to eliminate the choice of a short bow specifically made for hunting purposes. Nothing wrong with a short bow, just not needed for this question.

When building a bow for a specific person and only interested in creating the most accurate and best fit(overall length) bow possible, how do you go about determining what length bow would be appropriate for that individual? I have heard for instance, that up to 28in draw most 58 inch bows are fine, but can you get added stability and performance by adding length and mass to better fit the archer?

The reason I ask is that I noticed olympic archers tend to use bows that appear to have a very long riser and longer length in general. I was wondering if the added mass and length makes for a better "feeling" and shooting bow?

Thanks,
Charlie

I would like to reitterate ****I am not remotely interested in the hunting aspect on this one.  Just what makes for the best fitting, most accurate bow and how you determine that.

[The Singing Bowyer]

Charlie,

YOu will see that most "target" model recurves are 64-68". A longer bow tends to be smoother and often delivers a lighter weight arrow better.

For longbows, 68-72" is preferred by many of the target shooters...

For my selfbows, I have found that 64-66" bows perform well for me as a "target" bow--though I tend to hunt with 60" bows or so...

[Orion]

No hard and fast rules here, but if you're talking self-bows, I think 62-64 inches is minimum for a 28-inch draw.  For glas laminated olongbows, I'd consider 62 inches minimum.  There's sort of a fad now for short bows, and one can certainly go shorter, but the longer bows will be more comfortable to shoot and more forgiving.

[onemississipp]

The rule laid down by the Apaches for making their bows and arrows was the following:

The length of the bow or rather of the string should be eight times the span from thumb to little finger of the warrior using it.
The curvature of the bow was determinded almost entirely by the individual strength ot caprice.
The arrow should be equal in length the distance from the owner's armpit to the extremity of his thumb nail, measured on the inner side of his extended arm; the stem should project beyond the reed to a distance equal to the span covered by the thumb and index finger. This measurement included the bard when made of sheet iron. the iron barb itself should be as long as the thumb form the end to the largest joint.

[buckeye_hunter]

So the general idea is about 64 inches minimum?

[onemississipp]

Byron Ferguson

 http://www.byronferguson.com/

has 2 lengths  66" and a 64"

 http://www.byronferguson.com/html/bows.html

Maybe that's what your looking for if you want to shoot asprin out of the air.

[onemississipp]

Using the Apaches rule, I would have a 66" string, so about a 69" bow!

The span from the tip of my little finger to the tip of my thumb is 8 1/4".

That is my hand stretched out...That seems long for what I have seen in books...let me research this more..

My hand closed would make a 30" string, so about a 33" bow...hummm

[Don Stokes]

I have big hands- by the Apache rule, I would need a bow 81" length with my 9 3/4" span.

Another rule of thumb for the length of a self bow is 2 1/2 times your draw length, which makes more sense for me. That puts me at about 69".

[onemississipp]

Here is says the typical bow was 43 1/2" nock to nock...I can't get the measurement to come out right....I'll keep working on it.

 http://books.google.com/books?id=JGtXq2OV0r0C&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=apache+bow&source=web&ots=nPf0dfzPHK&sig=APK0mGmiFVWsRP4Fx9n37TbS1bI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result# PPA50,M1

[onemississipp]

Hey Don, your just up the road from me..

[onemississipp]

I got it!!!

I found another text from 1890, that said double the span from little finger to thumb...so if you lay your hand on a ruler, fingers extended and joined then take the measurement, from the outside of the little finger to the outside of the index finger. mine being about 2 3/4" or 2.75 x 2 = 5.5 x 8 = 44.

I'll be able to sleep tonight!

[Don Stokes]

Dustin, I'm in Keownville, on highway 30 east of New Albany.