static recurves and a short drawlength??

[overbo]

I did the static tip thing too. Had one from a guy that has been building them for over 50 years. Another from one that's no longer w/ us and even today, was arguably the best static ever built.

I found there are several appealing qualities w/ STs but also found them more sensitive to my shooting style. I'm one that if I can't shoot bare shafts consistently w/ a bow, I move on to something else.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hey Steve,

It was good talking to you on the phone the other day. In Orions post above he mentions that sometime a short draw length doesn't get the most out of a static tip RC. I have to agree with that statement in general.... but as i was saying on the phone i have laid the pad angles back for short draw shooters and adjusted the pre-load to shoot a low brace height with a forward placed grip on these Static tip limbs before, and got excellent performance at lower draw lengths....

but the thing to remember is once you have a custom bow build draw length specific... you have to becareful with long armed buddies drawing your bow or she vwon't last long....

Here is another option.... A static tip long bow...


These are still my best selling rigs because i can build them to high performance standards  from 25" -32" draw lengths all in a 60" bow. I do build a 58" in this model too.

check out the tips at 27" draw. they haven't opened up a bit.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I build a lot of self bow static recurves from various woods. My thoughts on statics are this. I believe the string should be in contact with the belly of the bow for at least 3-4" at brace. I also believe that a true static tip should be at no less than 60 degrees to the back of the bow. Also, regardless of a persons draw length the string needs to leave the belly of the bow at about 50-60% draw, otherwise the statics aren't working as designed, they are just shortening the working limbs. I believe this translates to glass bows all the same. Basically a shorter draw length needs a shorter static, not a shorter bow necessarily.

I have seen bows that were designed to be great bows at 30", perform rather poorly for those with less than 27" draws. I have shot long draw custom recurves that at my my draw barely picked the string off of the limb. Those bows seemed touchy to me, there was something going on in the limb when my release was not perfect. I think that a bow that is optimized for a shorter draw will actually end being more forgiving and accurate for that short draw shooter than a comparable bow that would be optimized for a longer draw and it may even have better arrow speed.  Regardless, forgiveness and accuracy has to be a primary consideration.

[Sixby]

I build draw specific for short draw bow and they will perform better than a bow that is identical but built non draw specific.

 All of my bows are static tip recurves and I also do as Kirk in stiffening the tips of the longbows and d and r longbows I build.


I know that Kirk and I both build draw specific static bows. I do not know who else does but would imagine some bowyers do.

Several guys that are regulars on Trad gang have purchased draw specific bows and they will probably comment if they read this thread. Some even have bought draw specific from both Me and Kirk.

God bless, Steve

[Owlmagnet]

Thank you, gentlemen. This has been an extremely informative thread. I have a 26" draw, and you folks have really started some wheels turning...

I must have two dozen books about archery and bowhunting and I don't think I have ever read a more cogent discussion of this issue. Man! I learn a lot from this forum!

[warden415]

I agree, very informative ! I an trying to gain as much knowledge as I can before I put the money down on the bow I decide. I have had several customs in the past but never one designed spec for a short draw.  Always just got one that was kinda designed for a longer draw and I just drew it less. Maybe a shorter OAL than a long draw guy woukd get but basically the same bow.

Truth be told and im NOT a betting man but I would put $ down that there are a lot more short draw guys out there than will admit or even know they are! I know in my circle of friends there WERE a bunch of 28" or 29" draw guys until we actually put a arrow on with measurement on it and watched(well didn't watch lol) them draw.  When they weren't over drawing and were just pulling correct.  They soon found out they were 25 maybe 26"!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by PEARL DRUMS:
I build a lot of self bow static recurves from various woods. My thoughts on statics are this. I believe the string should be in contact with the belly of the bow for at least 3-4" at brace. I also believe that a true static tip should be at no less than 60 degrees to the back of the bow. Also, regardless of a persons draw length the string needs to leave the belly of the bow at about 50-60% draw, otherwise the statics aren't working as designed, they are just shortening the working limbs. I believe this translates to glass bows all the same. Basically a shorter draw length needs a shorter static, not a shorter bow necessarily.

I'm not sure i agree with this classifcation of a true static tip bow or not. But it's quite obvious you've been building these awhile. The difference between how this translates to a composite bow over a bow built from natural material is rather large.IMO The mechanics of the lever and how it effects the length of the working portion of the limb is identical. But where the difference lies is the materials of a composite bow will withstand a lot more compression and tension using half of the mass weight in the limb. Not only that, the composite limbs recover much quicker to their original shape without energy loss over time.

Composite limbs can also be built with a much more aggressive hook and still remain stable. There are a lot of true static tip limbs out there with very aggressive hooks that the string doesn't lift off the limb completely until almost the end of the draw..... this in fact makes a incredibly smooth drawing bow that can produce excellent performance if the pre load is still good and it's stopping the limbs dead without too much limb bulge.

The point you've made is excellent about how a static tip bow for a shorter draw length would benefit having the limb pad angles laid back more so the levers on the tip can do their job to their fullest. This could be done by moving the tip notches out further on the curl to mitigate pre-load loss of laying the pads back, as long as your brace height didn't increase too much.

[GrisMunkyNinja]

I too am gravity challenged and have been pondering the same issue.  Just chrono'd my Stalker Wolverine with Static limbs 58" 45# @26.  My string is 14 strands of 8125.  Arrow is a Easton Axis Traditional 600 spine about 490 gr total (250 up front).  I'm getting on avg about 160 fps.  Just got some Beman Centershots too which are actually lighter gpi so I should be getting a slight but in speed.  Will post when I get a chance to tune those arrows.

I also have a PSE Talon that is also 58" and last time I checked weight/dl where within a lb.  When I get a chance I'll shoot that through the chrono because that one has Dynamic recurve limbs.  Kinda curious how it'll fair against the Stalker.  Should be interesting.