short red oak bow

[Asharak]

Hi guys, From the U.K!!!!

A couple of years ago I built an oak bow which pulls 42lbs@ 28" it is short only being 50" or so
it shoots quite well and is tillered as best as I can get it but it a bit sluggish will tapering the limbs more, make it any faster???
At the tips i'm measureing 1" !!! hope you can help!!!

[Pat B]

If you leave the tips thick enough so they don't bend but narrow them to about 3/8" it will help by reducing the physical weight.
   Red oak isn't the best wood for short bows. If over stressed it will take excessive set which will cause sluggishness.    Pat

[Asharak]

Thaks for that Pat I'll give it a go!! We have a massive problem over here of wood suitability!! no Hickory no Elm (any more!!) no nothing. It costs so much to ship it from over the pond It's just a big rip off!!! I found a survival school in Scotland who make Hickory bows up to about 70lbs!! You can buy a stave But I'm dubious as to whether it's quality wood!!!! Thanks anyway !!

[Pat B]

Hickory probably isn't the best wood for the English climate as I know it. Hickory is very susceptible to moisture and performs best at about 6% m/c(in desert conditions). In damp or wet climates it is prone to set and sluggishness. One of the tropical hardwoods my suit your climate better.
   What woods do you have available at a reasonable price?      Pat

[Asharak]

We have Ash, that's not too expensive!!!
but its still going to be £40.00 +

[Roy Steele]

I agree with PAT.Takeing the tips down to they don't been may help a little.But it won't get rid of your string follow.
  But sinew it and will pick up cast,speed comes along the it.And it could get rid of all or most of the set in your limbs.Short bows aways have string follow if not backed.I've never seen one that did'nt.
    But remember if it shoots good and you like it so what.Dead is dead no matter how fast your arrow gets there.

[Chuck Hoopes]

Put a 14-16 strand fast flight string on it--  and work at a clean, snappy, crisp, dynamic release (as opposed to static).  These 2 things have made a dramatic diff. in the performance I get out of self bows.  Good Luck-- Its a inexpensive thing to try anyway.- Narrowing the tips will help some, but there is a risk here of making them wippy, if you do not have suffiecent thickness.