10 pounds heavier? how can this be??

[clickerati]

i've got a lovely set of TXGs marked 34# on a 68" riser (merlin elite). i've wound the bolts out as much as they can safely go, but the digital scales (which are accurate and have been tested on other bows) are showing the limbs at 40#!!! in fact, until i wound out the bolts an extra 2-3 threads, they were weighing in at just under 44lbs

my BH is 9" and my arrow length is 27.5" with my clicker set just over 1" from the button.

because the limbs are so smooth and not at all stacky like my previous winacts, i didn't really notice they were much heavier. i'm not shooting at much as last summer because i'm in full time study right now, so i put down tiredness to lack of practice. but now i'm thinking it's because i've been pulling nearly 10lbs more than i thought. and it's no wonder i've been struggling with my grouping, as my arrows will be too whippy.


i just cannot figure out how they limbs are so much heavier than marked and would love if someone could shed some light on this. cheers

[geoffretired]

This is just a guess, so treat as such. Perhaps the riser you are using, means the limbs are more bent, when the string is fitted, than the limbs might be on another riser.( a riser that would give the marked weight)

[DenzilS]

Risers can certainly make a difference, as geoffretired said. It is all about the angle the limb leaves the bow. Brace height will also affect draw weight, and 9" is a bit on the high side. The higher the brace height, the shorter the string and the more the limbs are being bent. I'm sure Sid will be along in due course to give you an opinion.

[King Custard]

a string thats too short can also give the same effect... though ten pounds..i doubt it.


my guess is that the marked poundage is wrong...and they've been released errantly as the Royal Mint might do.

You could keep them and struggle or flog'em- that sort of thing is a rarity and they may fetch thousands on ebay to a collector

[cornish george]

Originally Posted by clickerati

on a 68" riser (merlin elite). cheers

Crikey, by my estimation that would make a bow 109" to 113" depending on limb length, and that's a longbow!!

[clickerati]

i've run some fairly thorough tests today and what i've discovered is that my ample bosom is acting like a brick wall against the string and therefore adding 5lbs worth of resistance against the string. no matter what stance i have, i will always have string contact. so i had some chaps test out my limbs. they consistently weighed 4-5lbs lower than my reading.

so basically, my chest adds to the bow's poundage (as well as distorting the string slightly). i tried this on all the different limbs i have (32#, 34# and 36#) and the borders having the greater curve, added the most poundage (nearly 10lbs!!).

as for the BH being high, it has to be with the borders to make them sound sweet. plus they shoot better with a higher BH.

i also did some tests with and without a chestguard to see what difference that makes. i had good groups with both, however without a chestguard sent the arrows low and right (i shoot lefty). with a chestguard put them smack dab in the middle. my current chestguard doesn't fit as close as it should, so will have to alter it a bit to get a more consistent surface.

also, my arrow spine is more suited to my 32# limbs (which are near to 37# on me). i plan on keeping my borders and when i increase my stamina to shoot the higher poundage, i'll get stiffer arrows.

the bottom line is that i will never be able to use the spine chart until i have a breast reduction. is it any wonder korean women shoot recurve so effectively??!! damn my bosom!!!

[Thunk]

Leigh, I see 'ample' opportunities for a wisecrack here - must...resist...

If your bosom is effectively raising the poundage of your limbs by distorting the string, is that distortion also differentially affecting the weight of the limbs?
I can see a situation where more poundage is being applied to the lower limb than the upper, effectively changing your tiller.

Just a thought.

[bkupris]

Pulling against the boobs/moobs doesn't change the poundage of the limbs. It only changes the reading on the digital scale

[clickerati]

Originally Posted by bkupris

Pulling against the boobs/moobs doesn't change the poundage of the limbs. It only changes the reading on the digital scale

so it's just a virtual poundage? does that means i'll never know the true poundage of my bow and therefore can never truely spine my arrows!? how the hell will i even tune my bow??

and thunk, it's not only changing my tiller but my nocking point, too!

maybe it's time to take up compound and avoid contact completely...or lop off my right ###!!

but short of mammary amputation, what i need is the world's expert on tuning and kit to become part of my pit crew. applications now being accepted...

[rusty craine]

If I might ask what riser you are using and your height? I have a shooting friend that shoots a 23" Zenit with Short limbs. She is 5'1&1/4" and has the potential to have your problem. She has short draw and doesn't have a problem. you must have a longer draw for a lady archer?

We have order a pair of 38# CXG short for her riser.

rusty

[bkupris]

I am not totally convinced that you cannot sort out your body/string clearance issues leigh. Surely you could minimise it with adjustments to stance/form alignment? At the moment if you are pulling against your chest it seems to me you are making the top limb work harder to take up the slack...

[geoffretired]

Clicki,
Every time you draw your bow, the poundage will be the same.( whatever it is)
If you have arrows for that bow and they show up well on bare shaft tests and walkback, job done.Note the spine and use similar again when necessary.If they show weak on the heavier limbs, look at the charts and go for the part that is for X lbs heavier than the current ones. If your string is touching boob and changing tiller, that will have been sorted while checking nocking point.( you may or may not have made adjustments to the actual tiller on the limb pockets.)
The only real problem, is the( possible) variable nature of any contact with the chest guard. If that is consistent, it's not a problem.

[Harrison Ooi]

Actually, I don't have such a problem, but my limbs are marked at 40#, and they are showing up at 45# on a digital scale,and 47# on a spring loaded one. I have a 31 inch draw, and I seem to have no problem at all drawing with these limbs.I run a 8.5 BH,(Leigh,my limbs used to be loud too, had a 9 inch brace height, but the answer lies in tuning the tiller, 3-5 mm is about right..Hope this helps).

I would like to think that the bow scales are giving dodgey readings as the Borders have such a large recurve.Could you verify Sid?? Thanks.

[JohnK]

Sid's on holiday I'm afraid. The poor chap's got to have some time off

Harrison - if the limbs are marked 40lbs @ 28in and you're drawing 3in over that, then you should expect to get around 45lbs on the fingers.

[clickerati]

Originally Posted by rusty craine

If I might ask what riser you are using and your height? I have a shooting friend that shoots a 23" Zenit with Short limbs. She is 5'1&1/4" and has the potential to have your problem. She has short draw and doesn't have a problem. you must have a longer draw for a lady archer?

We have order a pair of 38# CXG short for her riser.

rusty

rusty, i'm amazonian...5'9", 27.5" draw, long riser, medium limbs (i.e. 68" bow)

Originally Posted by bkupris

I am not totally convinced that you cannot sort out your body/string clearance issues leigh. Surely you could minimise it with adjustments to stance/form alignment? At the moment if you are pulling against your chest it seems to me you are making the top limb work harder to take up the slack...

i have tried different stances, brian. i used to shoot an oblique/open stance and it messed up my lumbar spine, so had no choice but to return to a parallel stance. and frankly, there wasn't much difference in contact. from what i've been told, my form is good (apart from a few things regarding my loose). i use an arrowhead chestguard that gives me a consistent surface.

from what the bareshaft tests showed yesterday, my old 32# winacts (which weigh 37# when i draw them) are better matched to my current arrows than my 34# borders, which are weighing in at 41#.

harrison, johnk is right about your higher poundage, as you have a long draw. mine be less than 28", so you'd think the poundage would be lower.