Shelf location, Lam bows

[Free Range]

I have a question for you bow builders out there. Where do you cut your shelf for the bows you build. First assuming split fingers, and shooting off the shelf, do you make the shelf exactly at the half way point between the limb tips, or what? And why would you not have it at the half way point, and what problems can arise from having the shelf to low or high. Thanks in advance.

[bustinbulls]

I meashure 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 of an inch above center line, I feel this will make the bow more balanced on the shot and less vibration. you dont want it cut on the center line cus you will load the bottom limb and tiller will be tough.

[Free Range]

Thanks, now how about this. Does 1 to 1-1/2” put the pressure point of your hand at the middle point of the bow? And do you try to get the deepest point of the grip at the half way point? And if you were going to use a rest of some sort instead of shooting of the shelf would you still strive to get the arrow at that 1 to 1-1/2” above location?
:thankyou:

[OZ in MT]

Your second question probes the critical point, Freerange. 1 1/2" below the shelf and at center is where you want the throat of the grip. This gives you the most stable shot, and it is much more important than where the arrow is on the string. Consider that you move your nocking point around anyway to tune to your arrows. And, if you use a rest, which also gives the best shot-to-shot consistency,the 3/8 to 1/2 inch of addition above center line won't affect your shooting. Again, it's the point of maximum pressure on your grip that is critical as to center.

[Free Range]

Thanks OZ, that makes sense I will keep that in mind next time I’m laying out a bow, soon hopefully.

[Quadrafletch]

Free Range

Oz has it right. As a rule, the pivot point of your grip should be in the center of the bow. When you tiller the limb weight you adjust the pull of the limbs to compensate for the different string lengths arising from the hand pulling the string above the center point of the string. If you are using a rest above the shelf, so that the drawing hand is higher than if you were using the shelf, then you must have more lower limb draw weight to compensate for the longer string on the lower limb. This is why a 3-under draw is tillered more neutrally than a split-fingered draw. The nice thing about a bow you make yourself is that you can custom build it to your exact style of shooting.

It is also true, that rather than tiller the limbs to different draw weights, some make the limbs a different length to compensate for the difference (i.e. they place the drawing hand in the center of the limbs, and place the grip below the center of the limbs). The dynamics of this are complex, however, and most find it easiest to simply adjust the limb tiller.