Bow profile thoughts

[Carpdaddy]

Hunting season just ended here in Ky so it's time to think about building my next season hunting bow. I only build a couple per year for myself and my hunting partner so I'm just a shade tree builder. Most real bowyers probably stay with a tried and proven profile but doing it as my hobby I like to change it up. With my stuff ordered I am beginning to think about what I want. I want to go longer than normal, 62-64", and want to come forward or reflex quite a bit. I am going to post a few pictures in hopes of getting some good input from you guys on what you like and why. I hung a couple of my recent years builds and the bottom is a piece of aluminum in some shapes I'm thinking about. I would appreciate some thoughts from some of you, thanks.

[Carpdaddy]

 

[Carpdaddy]

 

[Sixby]

Middle bow has a great profile if you reflex it a bit just past the fades and leave the rest as you see it.
Top bow will have less stability because the reflex is evenly distributed through the entire limb.
I personally do not like the bottom Aluminum profile at all.

God bless, Steve

[BenBow]

X2

[Carpdaddy]

Too late on the top two bows, they are past builds. I am asking about the bottom aluminum profile which will be my next build, it is voted down so far. Thanks for your thoughts and input guys, I will change it up and post more next week.

[Carpdaddy]

I was a little surprised with the lack of response on this question with so many bowyers here. Maybe you were trying too spare my feelings or something, or maybe it's been covered too much. I didn't even get a smart remark out of Roy!  Thanks anyhow.

[BenBow]

IHHO the problem with that profile is the limbs will have a strong tendency to flip sideways.You can get the same effect of that much reflex by utilizing tip wedges on less radical limb profiles.

[Carpdaddy]

I may just increase the reflex at the ends a little ion the form the middle bow was made on as suggested.
 Thanks

[monterey]

I've been watching this since I've been playing around with design for my first R/D bow.  Don't know much about these.  I do have a kennym from the bow swap a few years back.  What I've come up with is very similar to Kenny's but not close enough to call it such.  Don't want to build a bow, call it a kennym and have it damage his reputation!    :eek:  

I'm trying to understand sixbys critique of the top and middle bows but am still uncertain.

[Carpdaddy]

As far as Kenny's reputation is concerned, your too late for that.            
 I may not understand the critique but have read enough of Sixby's post through the years to greatly respect his opinion, and Kennys for that matter. Hopefully tonight I will have time to get out in the garage and work on it more.

[monterey]

Completely agree with your assessment of sixbys opinions.  Just didn't understand the why of it.

[kennym]

I like the middle bow too, but would increase the reflex so the nocks are an inch toward target in front of riser back .  Gets some preload , quieter and a bit faster too.

And lay off my reputation , you're liable to give me one!    

[Crooked Stic]

I would also go with the middle one and the more reflex.

[Carpdaddy]

Okay I have pulled out the form that the middle bow was made on, now I'm working on increasing the reflex. How much or how far beyond the riser?
 

[Carpdaddy]

Don't worry; the dog won't attach.
 
 How far to reflex??
 

[Carpdaddy]

So if I put a string on my unstrung bow backwards (without bending) it should come across the riser back with about an inch of clearance (Kenny M. suggestion)? Any other thoughts, what would you suggest, or how far would you reflex near tips?

[BenBow]

Tony I just noticed that in your pictures you had different bends on the aluminum in each picture. I don't know if everyone else noticed that but I have to spend some time reviewing the pictures and profiles again to see what you had there. I'll get back with you later today. A little change can make a big difference I've found out with my longbow design. I had a flat spot mid limb that made the brace profile look weird so I changed it by rounding it out about 3/16". This raised the stored energy but lowered the efficiency. I'm right in the middle of building a new bow with the new limb so I'm anxious to see how it turns out with a higher draw weight.

[Carpdaddy]

Thanks BenBow, I don't think I made that clear enough early on. The two top bows were only past builds for reference, I was making small changes to the bottom piece of aluminum hoping for suggestions on which way to adjust things.

[kennym]

Tony, I saw that, but they had the tips too far forward to suit me, built 2 like that with nocks 4" ahead of riser, you had to be on your A game to shoot em accurately.  I'm not always(usually) on my A game! LOL

So I went with 2nd completed bow with a reflex adjustment.