Buddy went to an Estate sale awhile back and bought a whole bunch of Archery stuff in a lot. I have bought a Shakespeare X32 Super Necedah, and a Ben Pearson Golden Knight off him for cheap($100 Each) and today he calls and asks if I'm interested in a longbow from the same lot. I go check it out and it's a 68" reflex deflex long bow built with a Bingham kit. Bow was built in 2003. I have all the invoices and plans that came with the bow. He also had 10 arrows and quiver and bow sock to go with it. Riser is Bubinga and Purple Heart and Purple heart Limbs. Got the whole lot for $50. Shoots pretty good so far. Need to work on arrow tune. Randy

Here are the arrows. Self nock with hardwood insert. 4 tied on fletches but looks like glued on also.

Next is quiver. Looks to be homemade but pretty solid construction. Can be worn on belt or on the back. I think it's homemade because the stitching isn't the straightest.

Now for the Bow itself. 35# Bingham 68" reflex deflex kit. Measures at 35 on my scale at 28". Is it me or do those limbs look funny at the end of the riser fades? Looks like a hinge but they both measure the same at different points along the string to the belly. Shoots good for the few shots I've taken so far. So did I get my $50 worth? Randy

Looks strange to me Randy. It does have a hinge effect going on. It's like the form was not made to the plans. But hey if it shoots. Then shoot it and have fun. JF

Yeah, the hinges in the limbs are a matter for concern. Any chance of a pic of the bow at full draw? That would be more informative.

Here's a shot at 28" draw on tiller stick.

It is still hard to see what is going on because of the perspective (photo not taken on the perpendicular to the plane of the draw), the bow being unaligned with the grid of the tile and the limb tips are cropped.

Yet as BMB said, if it shoots good, enjoy it!

That bow was built with the wrong taper rate in the lams. It may not have had any taper, or worse yet, was built with the tapers reversed.

Measure the limb thickness just outside the fades and then towards the limb tips. Measure four or five points. If the tips have wedges, don't bother to measure beyond that.

.i think you nailed it longcruise.

Measured bow at end of fades to tips in 6 places on both limbs. .348 at the fades to .284 at the tips No wedges in tips. Here's a better pic of profile and measured distance from floor to tips, both tips are equal distance. Here's a close up of ends of fades also.

Appreciate the additional pics sig9. The limbs do look stiff, particularly the top one. Comparing the arc made by the bottom limb at draw to that of the top limb, the top appears to have a flat spot in it starting just out from fade to about mid limb. From your measurements looks like there is a lam taper. Perhaps some judicious localized sanding on the upper belly glass might help correct the difference. JMO

The taper thickness seems to be ok, but it might not be ok when compared to the frontal dimensions. If the frontal taper is not right it could take a set like that. For example, if the limb width is less at the fades than further down the limb.

The unstrung side profile indicates the bow is overstressed at the fades. It's possible that someone drew the bow far beyond it's limits.

Give the bow to a boy or girl interested in archery. With their shorter draw it won't be stressed or develope any problems if used by someone with a longer draw.

I got a couple in the family coming up that will get it. I have shot it a little and my draw is 26.5. I'm not worried about it breaking.

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