Would this work as a bow

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I'm going to get some boards to do another bow & Help a Friends Son build his First board bow, More on that Later.....

Anyway, I was thinking would a bow lay ed out like this work?

64-66" nTn (Double grove nock on lower limb & pin nock on upper limb)
2.5-3" @ the width (fades)
1.5-2" @ Mid-limb
.75-1" @ Tips
Handle w/shelf
5" handle,1 5/8" wide, 2.5-3" fades at each end, 10-11" total.

For My Weight, I'm looking for 50-55#@25.5"(back side of handle)

SteveD, Can You help with a String? 70" loop & bowyers knot.

[Pat B]

Sal, what wood are you planning on? That will make a big difference as to design. 2.5 to 3" is quite wide for a bow unless you are planning on a pyramid style bow. It would have a straight taper to narrow(3/8" or less)tips and the limb thickness would not change much if any from fades to tips. The tiller is in the triangular shape of the limb.    Pat

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Pat B, red oak, hickory, cherry or walnut what ever home depot has that is good grain....

pyramid style bow is what I'm going for, but I see now I typoed... didn't mean to put in mid-limb...Sorry

[Pat B]

If you can get hickory that would be the best in my opinion. Red oak will probably be what you can get. I think with red oak I'd go 66". You should probably back it with silk or linen using TBIII glue. Hickory or maple backing would be better and add quite a bit of zip. I have a 63 1/2"t/t hickory backed red oak pyramid that pulls 53#@26" and really slings an arrow. It is 2 1/2" at the fades and 3/8" tips and I added 3" of Perry reflex at glue up. It holds about 1" of reflex now.
   If you can find good hickory, backing strips are easy to rip off or a 2" thick board. I usually cut backing strips at 3/8" to 1/4" thick and after removing the saw marks and a bit more you will have 1/8" thick backing strip.
 Pat

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I'll do it that way Pat Thanx.

if I get 1"X3"X72" board of hickory/maple. and the grains run straight on the back, would I still need to add a backing?

[Pat B]

For insurances, yes. Even brown paper bag backing will help hold a bow together. Unlike staves, the problem with board bows is the grain(s) have been cut through. Depending on how severe and the specie of wood, backings are not always necessary but for the little effort involved, it is worth it in my opinion. Hickory less than others.   Pat

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well the only thing good was Red Oak.. I think I have lee do the pyramid style bow and I'm going to try like the Ferret has on his board, but 72" tip to tip...71" (.5"nocks) 1.25"fades to mid-limb.5" nocks 4.5"handle 2" fades

[Pat B]

Can't go wrong with Mickey's recipe.   Pat

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The only difference is the length I really want a 70" Long Bow 55-60#@23.5"... not sure what kind of backing yet...

[SteveD]

OK Sal I will make up a string for you

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Kool Thanx Steve.... Lee will be happy about that.

I just found my bathroom scale, So now I'm set to make a bow. Right now I'm trying to take a bend out of the one end, I have the board on it's side clamped down & with a sweat shirt on the other end to bend it back about 1" if that..... both tips & handle are all lined up good just a little bend that can be seen when looking down the center line..... I'll see what happens with the bending goes... if I have to ...I'll lay it out again on the other side and find the straights area.