Originally posted by Butch Speer:
Thanks for the answers about the brace height.
Bob,
I realize there is a recommended brace height from the manufacturer. I was just wondering if the r/d D bows had a higher brace than the norm on hill style bows. Thanks for the info.
Butch, Great question. Here is the difference. because of the reflex in the D and R the bows generally require a slightly higher brace height than a D bow in order to be stable at brace. If the curve in the D and R is extreme then the bows tend too have less verticle stability. This is demonstrable just by taking the forfinger and thumb and pinching the string toward the bow limb. If if pinches very easily then the bow needs more brace or less reflex.
I will state right now that many bowyers and pros have great conflict over the importance of verticle stability. However a person with a mediocre or poor release will shoot much more consistantly with a bow that has strong vertical stability.
This said some bows have a very heavy reflex and still have acceptable stability and are very fast accurate bows in the hands of a good shooter. Others will swear at them instead of by them.
There is a place in the tweens and with proper layup of the laminations that will get you the speed and the stability. That is the great bow.
Some of the bows of this thread have just that right amount of D and R to have the speed and smoothness and still retain a good D profile./
Very few have found out how to get it all.The low 6 in brace height, stability and D shape when strung and still perform like a rocket launcher/
I have to honestly say I have not. I work at it all the time/. Still I have found the bow I consider to be the perfect hunter to still show a slight D and R shape to the limb when strung/ Working on that though./
Most bows that have D and R limbs will show D and R shape at 6 to 6 1/2 brace/ Usually they have to be braced at 7 1/2 to 8 1/2inches to attain good shape and stability/
God bless you all, Steve