Straight longbow design considerations?

[Apex Predator]

I had a straight form for the first bow.  I noticed slightly thicker glue lines towards the end of the fades where the riser meets the lam stack.  Duh!  Kenny Mckenzie pointed it out to me without seeing these glue lines.  The tapered lams were causing the riser to not mate perfectly.  Not a serious issue until I was talking about ordering two .002 tapered lams for my next bow.  Kenny made me up a thick .004 taper lam to glue to my form.  Problem solved!  Not I have a very slight amount of string follow built in.  About 3/8-7/16" or so after shooting in.  I likes it though!

[kennym]

HMMMMM,they both look good,and not as different as I thought they might!!  How does the feel of shooting differ as far as handshock? Good lookin bows!!

[Apex Predator]

Kenny, the .004 tapered limb bow has better manners than the .002 tapered limb bow with normal weight arrows (10 gpp).  It's a toss up with the heavy weights (13 gpp) that I like to shoot.  I think the .002 tapered bow is a faster shooter.  They are both very sweet though.

[TNstickn]

kenny, apex, ever tried reverse tapers to stiffen tips? I sure am interested in this post. I just orderd tbb 4. My Treadway has reverse tapers and is the best shooting bow I have personally come across, very smooth and fast. I modelled my lb form after this. Any thoughts?  

[Apex Predator]

I've heard of laminating in a reverse wedge in the tip.  You could make it as long as you wanted.  Maybe 10-12" and accomplish the same without all the guess work on the expected draw weight.  Craig at Hill uses a short reverse glass wedge for FF capability.

[kennym]

I've only put a rt in  1 bow so I don't have much to compare yet.I just used a pc. of tape about 1/2" wide and taped it to the next lam and unfolded it to glue if that makes sense?
  The MOAB I had ,had a sort of reverse taper and it was a great shootin longbow. Only reason I sold it was I like to shoot my own bows!

[TNstickn]

Ive only built a couple of bows so far. The first one I built is a recurve, then I started shooting long bows, and now Im trying to build one, cause like you, I try and make everything I use. Im a carpenter by trade, making stuff just comes natural for me. I just cant help myself! LOL! I would say I've been bitten by the bug, but I'm starting to think I'm just flat out addicted! I really appreciate you guys responses.I learn alot from your post and look foward to the pics. I'm not real computer savy, but I will try and get my daughter to help me post some pics of the Lb Im working on. Its kinda plain, Ive got some really pretty maples and walnuts put back for when I get a better idea of whats coming off the press.   -Greg

[Apex Predator]

Wow!  What a difference on bow #1 with lighter tips.  I narrowed the tips to 7/16" like bow #2 and took off quite a bit of thickness from the overlays.  It shoots like a different bow.  I think I like it better than #2 now.  Quiter, and even less hand shock.  My arrows were hitting higher at 20 yards by 2".  I probably gained 3-4 feet per second I would imagine.  Here is a before and after comparison.

 

 

[kennym]

So now you gotta build a new form? Or add a taper ?   Fun,ain't it??  LOL

[Apex Predator]

The .004 is good Kenny!  This one is just as good, after some mods.  I am finishing up a mild R/D form though.  Stay tuned buddy!

[kennym]

How long an r/d Marty? I've got some #s for 60" thru 64" on a fairly mild r/d if you want em.

When do ya sleep?? You are a bowbuildin dude!

[TNstickn]

Apex,Kenny, thanks to my daughter I figured out how to post some pics! The bow is 58" groove to groove. Got it cleaned up this evening and some shallow string grooves cut in.I think its going to be 45-50 lbs when im done sanding and narrowing a little more. I included some pics of my mess, I mean shop LOL!
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
   

The limbs are osage back, bamboo para, full length reverse taper cherry. I used my tiller string to see what it looked like around brace height. Its looking like I imagined!! Im gonna try and finish the rough out tomarrow. What do you think? The heat is wearing me out, Im gonna make a string and hit the bed!

[Apex Predator]

That bow is looking awesome!

Kenny, I'll be ordering my lams from you, so hang on the the #s until then.  I will take a photo of my form for you.

[TNstickn]

Resized my pics, hope i didnt screw the thread up  :(  I'll be back gotta go work for a while.