Designing a recurve ! (Build along) KABOOOM!!!

[rmorris]

For the last 4 years I have only built and shot longbows (reflex/deflex, hybred) and now I am thinking about getting into recurves. I would like to make my recurve center shot (opposed to my center cut longbows) so I think I will be going with 1.75” glass.  I only own 2 recurves an old wing nighthawk and an old Bear grizzly neither of which I like the style of. I will be making my first recurve a takedown so that I am able to change the angle the limbs come off the riser during the testing stages and later make a one piece off the 3 piece design.
 Now here are my design questions… I have seen recurves with very straight limbs close to the riser and pretty far along the mid limb with a dramatic curve at the tips, I have seen recurves with a fairly uniform curve from riser to tips and I have seen ones that look like an exponential graphs starting out with a slight curve and increasing more as you get towards the tips. What characteristics control of limb design control smoothness, and noise? Also tell me if this is correct it looks to me the shorter bows have a much more radical limb angel while the longer recurve limbs tend to come off at a smaller angle?
 I would prefer a recurve 58-60” long with a 29” draw.  With many of my one piece longbows I can make a very similar shooting bow from 62-66” on the same form, would this also be true with a one piece recurves or does the much more radical design of a recurve limit that?
I use .050” glass for longbows, what is the typical thickness of glass in recurves and what kind of tapers are used.? I got a free week coming up for spring break and I need a project …
Thank you for all your help

[StoneAK]

I like about an 18" riser with the limb pads cut to 20 degrees but on the limbs I worked multiple forms before I decided to use the one that I use. You can get the plans from Binghams that will get you off to the right direction from what I hear. I have never bought those plans but I think they are pretty cheap. I like .050 glass with a wedge that is 8.25" my limb taper is .002

[rmorris]

Lester, If you bow shoots anything like what you bow looks like I will be following your advice very closely. Thanks.

[johnny girardi]

Wow that is a lot of info. I think you talked about some bows you didnt like. What type curve do you like? thats were you start.you dont need to make a t/d bow first I think its easer to build one pc bow and take angles from that bow to build t/d later because you like how your one pc shoots.Bingham has great plans(prints) you can see that some of there recurves are the same in t/d and one pc just like I wrote.Old Master Crafters has some prints also.Prints are good place to start.getting hold of a bow you like and copy it is done all the time.you can tweek anything you want when its on paper and make it your own.I am John from Old Master Crafters just so you all [email protected]

[StoneAK]

rmorris I have one thing that I take great pride in with my bows and that is that they really are smooth and shoot great. I honestly believe it is all in riser lengths, angles of the pads, and the curve of the limbs. That is a great compliment and I thank you. johnny g is right though find something good about your bows that you like and incorporate it into what you are designing that is primarily how I came up with designs

[rmorris]

So I went down to the local archery shop today and tried out a few different recurves to see what I liked. The best recurve I shot today was a one piece  recurve with a 22" riser from fadeout to fadeout was 60" and the limb design looked like this.

 

I think I am going to take the same approach I did while building my longbows and just draw out what "looks good" in my head and change things as I learn more about recurves. But please do not stop with the advice and helpful hints.

[rmorris]

Alright, I got a little work done today on a recurve  design and I would like to know what you all think or any changes you would recomend. It is a 60" recurve with an 18" riser.

 

All I need to do now is print it out glue it to some corrian, make a template and then transfer that to LVL for a form.    

[Glunt]

Looking good!

[Buemaker]

I can only see the pic as a black square and nothing else.? Bue--.

[SportHunter]

I like the 60" recurves as well. Good choice. There are so many good bows to copy or take notes from but I've been wanting to try duplicating a 1960 kodiak design for my first glass bow build.

Can't see the pick above either.

[rmorris]

What you all don't like solid black bow pictures? Hummm can't figure out why this is happening on my phone but I will work on the problem when I get home ... When I log on to photobucket all looks good so I just don't know.

[rmorris]

Alright lest hope this works...

[Buemaker]

Well, well. Now I am on a computer with Windows and can see the pic just fine. On my I Pad it was just a black square, computers    
The design looks good and with the string nocks that much in front of the handle you should have plenty of prestress in the limbs. The bows that I have made have a little more deflexed handles, but that is just me. Keep us posted on the progress. Bue--.

[rmorris]

Bue, I dont think it had anything to do with you. I remade the picture and re uploaded it to photobucket and deleted the old picture from photobucket so I am  not sure why that made it re appear and work when it should be gone...

[rmorris]

Bue, I dont think it had anything to do with you. I remade the picture and re uploaded it to photobucket and deleted the old picture from photobucket so I am  not sure why that made it re appear and work when it should be gone...

[jess stuart]

That should be a great performing bow.  How much taper are you going to use in the limbs?  Sixty inch is my favorite length in a recurve, can't do no better for everyday use and shooting.  Question where to you buy your LVL in Aluquerque?  I have looked for it from time to time with no luck and need to get started on a new form.

[rmorris]

I am thinking I will be doing one .oo2 taper and one parallel with .050 glass and it will be 1.75" wide. I am clueless on what stack thickness I  But if you have better ideas or suggestions  please let me know.

 Jess, I get the LVL from STOCK on Edith just North of Montano. They close at 4:30 so you got to get there early.

[SportHunter]

Looks like a Bob Lee riser with Bear limbs. Very nice design.

[wookiewebster]

You can look at these charts to get a ball-park for stack thickness -->  Bingham Draw Weight Charts

[rmorris]

Monte, thanks for reminding me about the Bingham Chart, I forgot all about that.

When I build longbows I start off with 1.5" glass and end up with a final width of 1.375". When building a recurve do you try to keep it 1.75" or do you take it down? I guess it depends on the design you are looking for and personal preference but just curious about what most people do.