pyramid profile or flatbow?

[walkabout]

working out the dimensions i want my next bow to be, its going to be 68-70" overall, im hoping to get 55-60#@28", was wondering what others opinions on shape should be, whether to build a wide flatbow, or use the pyramid profile. ive read that hickory works very well in a flat wide profile, however i know too that pyramid like profiles are just as nice. which would you use?

[No-sage]

It's up to you and your tastes.

Personally, I think pyramid bows are ugly, so I don't make them.

At the length you looking at, a flatbow would work fine.  If you were stuck with a shorter stave, a pyramid might be a better choice.

[Loren Holland]

I've been making Boo/Ipe pyramid bows at 68 inches. 1 3/8 at the the fades down to 1/2 at the tips.  I personally think Pyramids give you a more graceful looking bow, especially in dense woods where you want to keep mass down in the first place. But like No-sage said, its your bow and your tastes.
functionally it might depend on the wood. i can tell you that i have no problem staying over 45lbs with what i've been doing, and if i had more patience, i am sure i could pull off a 55-60. i think its easier to tiller a pyramid thats for sure.
last i tend to keep a rectangular profile on my limbs and not round them off too much into a d shape. you  can have some of the benefit of work distribution within the limb like a flat bow, without going real wide

[John Scifres]

A pyramid design is a flatbow.  

The pyramid design is easier to make with boards since there is little belly tillering needed.

Starting with 2" and tapering straight to 1/2" nocks using a 1/2" thick board should get you your weight.  You can remove wood from the sides or on the belly to reduce weight and adjust tiller.

Alternatively, start with a 5/8" thick board or stave, make it 1-3/4" at the fades for half the limb and then taper to 1/2" and then reduce weight and tiller on the belly.

[walkabout]

im working with hickory staves i cut when i was in pennsylvania. the longer one ive decided to use a more traditional flatbow design, 1 3/4-2" wide from the fades past midlimb tapering to 1/2" nocks. the second stave im leaning toward a modified pyramid design like discussed in TBB vol 4,with stiff narrow tips similar to a holmegard. probably going to make the tips static recurve to give it some added early draw force, since the stave is a bit shorter and im not sure how much draw length im going to be able to get out of it yet. i really was just trying to see what style is more popular/sweeter shooting.