Your opinion on foam core limbs

[Terry Green]

Jashua....at this point, from what little I've shot foam core....I like the glass n foam over the carbon n foam.

Again, what I have shot if very limited.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Two tracks,  i meant no offense regarding HH style or ELB bows at all. it's not a bad rap that those bows have. it's a lot of mass weight in their limbs moving forward, without enough string tension at brace to stop the limb clean. you just have to use heavier shafts with those things. it's the light weight shafts that really gives you a pronounced vibration, and it's much more noticable on light poundage bows than heavier ones.


Hey Terry, what was the difference you noticed between glass/foam  and carbon/foam limbs?

[LYONEL]

Originally posted by Bowbldr:
Personally, If I have a choice, Foam cores are all I ever shoot.Love the look of wood, but foam is weather resistant, quiet and smooth. Still working on a wood veneer that will work on carbon or fiberglass.

Hi Bob
What did you mean by "Still working on a wood veneer that will work on carbon or fiberglass" Where would you use this wood veneer.
I ordered just recently a TD Sasquatch with triple carbon & thin bocote veneers under thin clear glass.Is this what you mean

[leatherneck]

After shooting foam cores for several years now it is my first choice when buying a bow. Curt from Hunter Bows just started using it and loves it. My new bow coming from him has it in it. The biggest thing I notice is how quiet they are on release. No string silencers needed.

[Shedrock]

I really like my foam core glass limbed Pronghorn. I have a little 58" and it is super smooth, quiet, and pretty darn quick.

[LongStick64]

Compared to other more qualified people who have answered, I understand the technical merits of Carbon and Foam, but I don't like the way they sound when shot and I have found Carbon limbs to feel stiff.

Kirk and Sixby I would love to see the drag race between a Bigfoot r/d longbow with C/F limbs vs an EagleWing Talon recurve with C/F limbs......come on I know you guys love to race....

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Kirk and Sixby I would love to see the drag race between a Bigfoot r/d longbow with C/F limbs vs an EagleWing Talon recurve with C/F limbs......come on I know you guys love to race.... [/QB]

We've been racing neck and neck for years already.... After just receiving one of Steve's latest C/F recurve's and running it through the chrono.... I'm quite certain it would be a photo finish.          .....


But.... Nobody would believe the numbers anyway... or they'd question how the testing was done. So it ain't going to happen any time soon for public viewing.

My hat's off to you brutha Steve. Always will be too.

[LongStick64]

Kirk

Would you say that by using C/F in a limb, you are making a "stronger" limb and would that mean that you could possibly get more aggressive on the riser/limb angles ?

[Sixby]

Kirk and I are more  about collaboration than competition. For instance if my EagleWing outshot a Sasquatch I would share with him why. Vice Versa. As he said. No one would believe it unless they have the bow to shoot themselves. Those that do are believers and those that don't buy other bows. LOl.  God is good and supplys every need for every one that trusts him. Thats where I come from. In fact as long as I just have a bow or two to build I'm happy. I would rather Kirk had to stay up late at night and work than me (Grin)

One other thing. If you are already pushing the envelope with a design in your glass limbs you actually have to back off when you go to carbon and foam core. I am relatively sure that I can come close to same speed with glass foam as I can with carbon foam because glass will take a much tighter bend than the carbon will without breaking. I am just about to the conclusion that a complete combination.
Carbon back, foam core glass belly is the way to go. especially when you add a composit carbon in the center of the stack for added stability. This is in regards to the recurve.
D and R longbows, that is a completely different thing because you have a longer working limb. Even then you have to go super light with the carbon on the belly or put it under glass to get it to hold together. Carbon just does not compress. Not at all.
These are my thoughts on it and some may choose to disagree. Thats cool.

God bless you all, Steve

God bless you all, Steve

[LongStick64]

Steve

Wasn't trying to start a war between you two but I was curious to Kirk statement about r/d longbows having better performance than a recurve. First time I heard of that and to be fair his reasoning made sense. But being that I have dabbled with both, from my primitive methods ( I shoot lot's of arrows) I have never come across that. I've shot quite a few R/D's, not all mind you and none have what I would say convinced me of such. But then again I have not shot a Saquatch and I hope I do someday.
In the end it's all good fun, speed is only one aspect of a bow's performance anyway.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by LongStick64:
Kirk

Would you say that by using C/F in a limb, you are making a "stronger" limb and would that mean that you could possibly get more aggressive on the riser/limb angles ?

Absolutely brutha... it's actually so strong it doesn't work on some limb designs at all because it's too strong.   :eek:  

There are many different combinations that hold up well and give you excellent performance. but once you cross the line you know it right now.

There are many different types of carbon, and many different ways to use it in a limb to gain stability and more horse power. Getting the right combo going is the trick. I think Matrix is a fitting name.  

What was the name Dryad came up with for theirs? Was it "Crazy John's" carbon? that's a very fitting name too actually, because getting the right combo will definately make you crazy.

kirk

[Rob DiStefano]

carbon or glass?  for bows, and with my limited experiences, i like glass.  i also love glass in my surfcasting rods - they have a parabolic bend when heaving big baits and heavy lures out a hundred yards or more, whereas a carbon/graphite rod of the same performance specs is just at the borderline of snapping - and i've snapped a few.  as to my arrows, make 'em CARBON, not glass.    :D

however, i'll add - if i was physically forced to shoot near 10# less holding weight than now, i'd not wanna hafta give up a .357 magnum for a .38 special, so sign me up for a set of them fancy hi-tech, rocket launcher, carbon/foam limbs ... pronto!

[Sixby]

Somehow Rob I just don't see you shooting a reverse mounted three piece D and R longbow. carbon or no carbon (Grin)

[ozzyshane]

Stev Kirk
what type of bow design does the foam/carbon work best with your guys bows ??

Do you guys see much dif when used in diff design with real heavy arrows say over 800grn with 65lb bows is there a certain type of design that works best with big heavy arrows as from what i know the foam/carbon were made for light arrows in ILF bows Thanks Shane

[Sixby]

A bow limb has to be designed for carbon, Then it has to be carefully and thoroughly tested. Foam core can be used as a core material in most bow designs and be effective due to its consistancy and light weight.
A less efficient bow will never outperform a more efficient bow at any arrow weight. As the arrows get heavier the gap in speed will tighten up the heavier the arrows get but the less efficient bow will always be the less efficient bow.
Bows do not gain in efficiency by shooting a heavier arrow. They apply more of the efficiency that they do have to the arrow. In effect the arrow becomes more efficient as it is absorbing more of the bows efficiency.

At the same time that heavier arrow is also absorbing more of the efficiency of the more efficient bow. Guess which bow is always more efficient and faster?

God bless, Steve

[overbo]

I can see how foam core gives a bowyer consistant performance and feel in shooting a bow over traditional cores but I do have reservations about HOW MUCH difference some claim.
I rember way back when.When bamboo cores became the RAGE in traditional bows.I also remember you could get different results in performance from one set of limbs to another that where built to the same specs.This difference IMO is what foam cores help emliminate.
I'm not a bowyer,but it seems to me.If one was to take the time and pre-test and select core materails that have good consistancies along w/ a very good limb design,you can acheive very good results.
For me.I don't like the looks of that gray line in my limbs.If they would make in black.I would be just fine w/ it.

[Sixby]

Originally posted by overbo:
I can see how foam core gives a bowyer consistant performance and feel in shooting a bow over traditional cores but I do have reservations about HOW MUCH difference some claim.
I rember way back when.When bamboo cores became the RAGE in traditional bows.I also remember you could get different results in performance from one set of limbs to another that where built to the same specs.This difference IMO is what foam cores help emliminate.
I'm not a bowyer,but it seems to me.If one was to take the time and pre-test and select core materails that have good consistancies along w/ a very good limb design,you can acheive very good results.
For me.I don't like the looks of that gray line in my limbs.If they would make in black.I would be just fine w/ it.

All true and especially true with actionwood or action boo .However there is one other thing. The foam core is impervious to cold and heat and to moisture where wood and boo are not.
As to the color. Not a lot you can do about that unless you use a black sharpie.

God bless , Steve

[overbo]

Maybe Sixby but you can't build a decent bow limb out of foam alone.I also feel that the finish on and how well it's applied has more to do w/ making a bow weatherproof than putting foam in the core. .

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by overbo:
Maybe Sixby but you can't build a decent bow limb out of foam alone.I also feel that the finish on and how well it's applied has more to do w/ making a bow weatherproof than putting foam in the core. .

I hate to disagree with this statement, but brutha, you are dead wrong on that one. there isn't a sealer made that will keep wood from being effected by humidity and temperature change. Wood moves a lot. Foam doesn't expand and contract at all.

bamboo is a great compromise because of it's homogenous nature. it also does much better in climate changes than many wood species does. i wish the stuff was better under compression so you could snuggle some belly carbon up to it without building a bomb. With glass it's not an issue.

[Sixby]

Originally posted by overbo:
Maybe Sixby but you can't build a decent bow limb out of foam alone.I also feel that the finish on and how well it's applied has more to do w/ making a bow weatherproof than putting foam in the core. .

I don't understand the point. finish may have something to do with weatherproofing for moisture but nothing to do with heat or cold. I still do the same high quality finish on my bows with foam that I do with wood cores.

I completely miss the meaning that you cannot build a bow with foam alone. I don't believe anyone said anything about building a bow with foam alone. At least I cannot find that so what do you mean?