self bow layout

[Schmidtster]

hey guys. I'm getting into making bows. I have made a few board bows but am looking at making a selfbow. I tried one out of elm and it exploded cause there was a knot pretty close to the fades(and I rushed it). I was just wondering a couple things about the layout. I started mine 1 3/4" wide at handle, straight till midlimb than tapered to about half inch tips, 64" NTN. can I do a straight taper from 1 3/4 to 1/2" tips right after the fades or does that violate the run off rule too much?

[rainman]

If you have a severe grain runoff I would'nt do a straight taper.  If the grain is good you can straight taper the bow to 1/2 inch tips.  Tiller will need to look different because you now have a pyramid bow.

[Steve B.]

I'm afraid to ask, what is the runoff rule?  I finished an oak bow today with those exact dimensions, except maybe it is 62".  If there is a runoff rule that I violated then I will kill myself on thanksgiving because that bow took me many weeks and its a gift for someone else.

[George Tsoukalas]

It's ok on the width. The violations on the face and edge are what can break a bow. More on my site. Jawge
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html

[Steve B.]

Great, front to back.  I get that.  Just got the impression that there was something about the pyramid design that was susceptable to runoff....

[PEARL DRUMS]

Your recipe is perfect-o for almost any suitable whitewood you will find up there, providing you pull 28" or less. Slow down as you said, use better wood because elm is everywhere and can be "perfect" if you look a bit. A sharp pencil will fall right into a grain line on the back of your stave, allow it to run from end to end and you will have you centerline and profile started.

[Schmidtster]

thanks alot guys i will be searching for some more to cut down. hopefully get em drying shortly

[George Tsoukalas]

Sorry, I got confused. When you do the width taper those are not considered violations. Jawge