58 inch Pyramid?

[Dave Bowers]

Hiya boys, I got the itch to make another bow. I wanna do another pyramid style, just shorter then my last. I was wondering if 58 inches is possible for a pyramid? I remember something in one of the bowyers bibles about one of the authors with a short pyramid..correct me if I am wrong?

[hova]

what I see about short pyramids is to keep em wide. judging from others' posts you might be looking at 2.5-3" wide...

-hov

[Dave Bowers]

No worries there hova..I like the wide look of the pyramids. I apprecaite your in put  

[fish n chicks]

You can go as short as you want, it's a balance act. If you have a shorter draw, a shorter bow would be totally ok. It's the angle your limb's median axis makes with your string at full draw. That'll determine if your bow stacks or not. I've had great fun and success with a few bows at 60", and they ranged in weights from 25#'s to 45#'s to 56#'s, all were tillered to 28". One of em was as narrow as 2" at the fades, 1/2" tips, and I think the limbs 15/32". that one was 56#'s. The other was 45#'s and that was 2.5" at the fades, 1/2" tips, and that one was 3/8" thick. I went with 8 and 10" risers.


It's a board bow. Use your imagination and don't hurt yourself.

[Dave Bowers]

Thanks for the tips Fish n Chicks

[Dave Bowers]

Well let see what happens? I went and got a board today. Gonna keep her as wide as I can and go far a paddle/pyramid cross if its even possible? Gonna lay everything out in a little while.

See yawl later

[hova]

keep us updated. I thought pyramids were paddle bows...


YAY something to google!

[4est trekker]

Let me give you some food for thought without sounding like I'm raining on your parade.  I'm not saying what you propose can't be done, because it has.  But there's a fine line between "can be done" and "should be done" when it comes to your safety.

1) 58" is SHORT for what I presume is a 28" draw if the bow is unbacked (it's short even for a 27" draw.) With a working handle you might be okay, but working handles are difficult to achieve with a pyramid design.

2) Being so short, the thing will stack like a pile of pancakes without flipping the tips.  However, pyramid bows aren't really good candidates for that.

3) What type of wood are you using?  I would really only consider hickory or osage for such a short bow, and even then I would back the osage with either bamboo or sinew.  (I would leave the hickory unbacked as both sinew and bamboo can overpower it.)  I wouldn't even attempt the bow your describe using any of the woods commonly found at hardwood stores/home improvement centers (with the exception of hickory). It's not worth your safety, or that of those around you when you shoot it/string it.

I've built plenty of short bows, but only if the person I'm building it for has either a short draw or a true need for a short bow.  However, they're much more finicky, less forgiving, and require extremely good tillering.

Best of luck either way.

[Silent Bear]

What type of wood are you using and what poundage are you trying to achieve ?

[Dave Bowers]

Thanks for the advice 4est, its much appreciated and will be taken into consideration. Only reason I am interested was to try. Thats why I came here and asked questions. I got my idea from this bow:
 

Now i know there no way I'm capable of building something like that, But like I said just seeing if I could do something like it would be cool.
I am not sure of the property differences between white and red oak.

[4est trekker]

White oak makes a much better bow than red oak does.  It also can be steam/heat bent much easier.  The bow in the pictures is a paddle bow, not a pyramid.  Also, it is an extremely well made bow to hold that flat of a profile and to retain that much reflex in the tips.  If you want to try imitating it, start longer...say 64" for your first one.  As you get better with the design, shorten each successive bow.

   

[hova]

i see....thats pretty nifty. i say get yourself some white oak . i picked up some from a local sawmill and it puts every single piece of red oak i have had in my hands , to utter shame...


i cant wait to see what you come up with...
-hov

[Dave Bowers]

Thanks guys much appreciated.

4est I understand what your say and thanks again for pointing critical issues out to me.

PS Just figured out somethings...lol It wasnt clicking last night. But afater I did the draw length formula...it makes perfect sence  

So I think for the 58 incher I have laid out, I'll will make for my nephew or one of the neighbors boys.

[SaMbO2]

Well it depends on what wood your going to be using, Osage could be narrow and be a little more like a D style or something like Hickory then just make it a very suttle  pyramid. Good luck!

God Bless.

[Sal]

I've held that bow in my hands, truly an awesome piece of work, beyond just bowmaking.

[hova]

not to necro an old thread , but what happened with your pyramid?


you must have inspired me cause i have one outside that is 51" ntn...


-hov

[Dave Bowers]

Its still goin Hova; it coming along nicely. But the handle popped off the other day. So I am gonna try and glue on a new handle and see what happens.

[hova]

i wouldnt mind some pics.  im wondering if i shouldve just dealt with the craptastic grain in the one end of my board...it will definitely end up short of 28.


-hov

[Aznboi3644]

if the handle pops off...glue on multiple thin lams...like 1/8" or 1/4" instead of one thick piece.

this is much stronger...I've had a couple handles pop off...but now with gluing thin lams i havent had troubles.

[Dave Bowers]

Awesome thanks for the tip Aznboi    

Hova I get some pics up soon