When your laying out a selfbow you make the handle section 4” long and each fade 2” long. So my question is should both limbs be 29” long if you want your bow to be 66” long. Or is it better to make your bottom limb shorter or longer then the top limb? And why?

Draw length (x) 2 + 10".4" for a grip and 3" fades. i.e 28" draw = 68" string groove to string groove.

Strictly depends on who you ask. Superb shooting bows have been built with limbs made both ways, and in some instances to extremes.

What matters more than equal length or not limbs is how well you tiller it to evenly balance, and both limbs draw the same in time and unison with each other. I've made bows with longer upper limbs,and shorter upper limbs. But pretty much all mine are even length limbs. Ive seen no discernable difference or any noticeable real advantages to different length limbs. What matters most is how well you tiller it.

Pearls layout guidleines are a good general rule of thumb. But that rule can be bent or broken. ;)

Just make it as long as possible at first. About 68 inch long and up to 72 inches, for most people. That will make tillering a lot easier. I don't know why so many people start with 62 to 64 inch staves. Doing so will make it a lot harder for beginners.

Better yet, just start with a bendy handle bow, at least 60 inch long. With a decent stave or a well chosen board, you will have a shooting bow in an hour, especially if you have a band saw and a goose-neck scraper.

Thanks for all the information everyone. Amazing that Indians did this all by eye with no ruler.

Not having as much experience as others, I start long, not knowing which end may have issues or defects that make one end the top or bottom. Which way the string favors, 3 under or split finger. But I defer to others that have been doing it longer. Since I still have issues pop up I leave myself as much wiggle Room as possible till the last minute.

Your hand dimensions are pretty stable as far as functioning like a ruler. As are your limbs and height.

I agree with PD on the fades, I make mine 2 3/4". I make my bows wit an inch shorter bottom limb, just for looks when I draw it, both limbs will appear to be closer to the same length this way.

Nice looking bow Eric. How many years have you been making them?

I cut shelves in nearly all of my self bows 1 and quarter inches high from the middle of the bow, and tiller the top limb positive by one eighth to three eighths inch.Adjust nock as needed, and I am good to go, and I shoot 3 under.When you build them that way you are making the top limb shorter, and stiffer from the fulcrum point thus the need to weaken the top limb, which is called positive tiller.Their are different methods you can use when building a bow with the same results.

I like what you did with those tips too.

I raise my shelf 1-1/4 inch above center so I guess I make my bottom half of the bow longer even though the limbs are the same length. Arvin

That is correct Arvin, and if you bother to measure your top, and bottom limb it may really shock you what the difference is from from the shelf. No matter though. It is the end result that counts.

4" handle, 2" fades...that is what I do. Both limbs the same.

That way you can flip it if you cannot get nice, silent tuning.

Jawge

Been making bows for over 25 years.

For my personal bows I lay my arrow pass out for my medium grip. Which is 1 1/2" above center. If I'm making a bow for someone with a different grip I'll adjust the arrow pass to fit them. Most of the time I make the upper fade or handle longer to allow for even limb lengths.......Art

My original design was handle 1" up off center, 3" down x 3" fades x (2)28" limbs NtN = 66" bow

As of late I have been building 4" handle 2"up/down off center x 2" fades x 28" limbs = 64" bow (alt.29" limbs for a 66" bow)

the second design you are not committed as to which end is top or bottom.

As for limb width 1 3/4" wide to mid limb then tapper. Alt. divide limbs by three and tapper last third. John

I've never made a bow I needed to flip end for end, so I don't find length/center symmetry particularly beneficial. I prefer the balance of a bow with a longer top limb, usually put the shelf/top of handle 1 1/4" above bow center, usually, but sometimes it varies. That separates the bow center and handle center by 3/4", making the top limb 1 1/2" longer.

I adjust the distance from handle to the width flares and thickness fades depending on other design specs per individual bow. They can vary quite a bit. I shape my handle areas different than most folks do on selfbows so my numbers wouldn't be of much use to them.

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