curious why all bows arent cut to center???

[Doc Nock]

Matt,
I play with model trains and scenery so I have some plastic sheeting in varying thickness.

I simply use small "shims" ala OL's advice to put behind my sideplate material(for me it is ALWAYS sealskin from ABS) till I find what thickness works best. 1/8" wide "sliver" works fine of hte right thickness once you know.

My GT's and several other carbons are similar in diameter (.001 dif) to 2018's. Thinner than 70+ # tapered cedar but not so thin as days of yore w/ carbon soda straws.

I also make sure I have a small "pivot point" on the arrow shelf (also ala OL's tuning guide)right above the deepest inset of my grip.  Writers claim it improves "forgiveness" and I can use all that I can get.

[Gator1]

This is a great thread, I have been shooting GT 35/55's, as well as a Beeman MFX 500, an older style.  The Beeman seems considerably smaller in diameter, than the 5/16"s Gold Tip, and although I only have 1, it doesn't seem to be as critical on poor releases, as does on the Gold Tips, I'm wondering if due the smaller O.D. of the Beeman, it is simulating, being more cut to center..???

[jacobsladder]

that is correct ...a thinner diameter will put you closer to center...which i believe is a plus.

[Gator1]

That is what I'm finding through Trial and Error...

[Gator1]

One last point, if you have a less than perfect release, would it be safe to assume, that a bow cut to center would be more forgiving on less than perfect releases???

[Cherokee Scout]

I might be wrong, but it is my experience with bows cut past center, I have to shoot a much heavier spine arrow. I think it is easier to find the right spine and weight arrow for a bow not cut to or past center.
I think there is too much importance placed on being cut past center.

[Sixby]

Any bow cut 3/16 past center will shoot a wider variety of spine weights and tune faster and easier than a bow cut to center. You want the arrow to be split by the string and centered on the bow limb to be perfectly tuned. All target shooters know this and that is why they use the recurves with perfect centershot adjustments on them. It is easy to build the window out by shimming but no way can you take it in unless its already made that way. I build my bows to shoot wood arrows or aluminums/. Carbon shooters can shim them easily. IMHO JOhn Harvard was right on the money with what he said. Why start out with a disadvantage of having to have an arrow bend around the bow?

[NorthShoreLB]

"CURIOUS WHY ALL BOWS AREN'T CUT TO CENTER ???"

some people might not like cut in shelfs and the advantages you get at tuning arrows.

I for one think that cut in arrow passes are ugly and take away from the simmetry of a bow,..... and like the challenge of shooting around the handle      

[George D. Stout]

I'll take some of each, thank you.  

[Dick in Seattle]

I shoot almost exclusively Howard Hill, with a few old vintage longbows thrown in.  Neither are center cut and I've learned to almost automatically select an appropriate arrow for a particular bow.   However, I recently got a new Hill I had made as an experiment... no shelf at all... kind of like an English longbow riser, fairly thick and you shoot it off of your hand.   Getting arrow match was a broadening of my education.   Given it's draw weight, if it had had the normal Hill shelf, it should have shot well with 50# spine arrows.  I had to drop back 10#, but, once I did that, it's one of the best shooting Hills I have.  I'm currently waiting for my next "experimental" Hill... one also made with no shelf, but with a very narrow riser, thinned on both sides... the same as the old vintage bows... shoot off of the hand on either side.  I expect to get this one in February and am really looking forward to getting to know it in terms of arrow match.

Obviously, the modern center cut bow makes life easier, but what's the fun in that?

Dick inSeatle

[jacobsladder]

Im loving this thread ..thanks to all for your thoughts! I like all the bows ..with cut shelfs or not cut... i ran across a fellow this year that was shooting a self bow off of his hand... unbelievable! he was by far one of the better shots on the course.. I guess my real question would be if your gonna cut just shy of center ...why not just cut to center....I think it would be much more easier for the fellows shooting in the lower 40s to match arrows...you guys did a great job of answering that question in the previous posts...thanks..

[NorthShoreLB]

Dick, here's my HILL  

 

[jacobsladder]

nice  

[BillJ]

Manny -

Is that Hill the blank you bought and finished yourself?  You just built out a shelf and didn't cut one in?  Looks nice.

I'm still debating about doing this myself so appreciate the pic.  What arrows do you shoot out of this bow? What are it's specs? Not trying to hijack the thread - I think these answers will still apply to the original question.

BillJ

[NorthShoreLB]

Bill, yes this was a blank I shaped myself, than build up a leather shelf like a selfbow.

I shoot 2117 legacy cut 27 1/2", with 380gr up front plus insert for a total arrow weight of about 830GR

the bow is 68", 71-72# at my draw length.

[Shakes.602]

Well! Doc Nock a Fellow ModelRailroader!!     Glad to Hear that Doc!!  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by Matt E:
Kirk, My previous post may explain what I meant some what better. Like your bow being cut 1/8" past center. an arrow 1/4" diameter would be center shot. Most people I know don't shoot less than a 5/16" diameter shafts......  I like your bow, it looks well made.

Thanks Matt....i got a photo of a Fedora riser with the thumb ledge, and tried my best to copy it while shaping the riser. i could have easily taken another 1/8th past center on this riser without jeopardizing the strength, but i liked the way it looked and stopped right there...I shot 2018's at 600 grains through it this fall while hunting....think i'm going to go lighter with a 2016 and run er her through some 3D courses this winter. my long bow likes the heavier shafts better than this recurve....Strangely enough...i like the feel of a long bow better too for some reason...I've got some hybrids in the works that are turning out to be shooters now.... i may get side tracked all together here! LOL

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I've got a question for the bowyers out there regarding the same subject here....

When you say a bow is cut 5/16ths past center....is that the measurement from center of the string, to the riser cut out? that is how i have measured mine....thanks....Kirk

[Matt E]

Kirk,that is how I measure it......          If It is cut 5/16 past center it would need an attached rest or some mechanical apparatus to bring it out the same way you set up an Olympic or compound bow. I have never seen an american style long bow nor a hunting type recurve cut back this far........5/16" is the diameter of a 20 series aluminum shaft? If shot this way ,how could you ever get good arrow flight?

[**DONOTDELETE**]