The Hill Chronicles

[Hank]

Thought I would post this here instead of the bowyers gallery. Figured for those that want to, we can all contribute on what we think makes a Hill style bow shoot great, so we might be able make a few good ones that do shoot great

Bow Length
Limb cores/tapers
Grip styles/sizes (including grip pressure/hand location)
Riser lengths
Tiller
Vertical Layouts (working limb lengths, shelf location in relation to center)
String materials/strand counts
Back set/reflex... string follow

should be cool

[Hank]

I was going to make this a sticky but I don't know how

[mike robin]

hank
this is weird-[good timing]--a buddy of mine just dropped off a bonafied--brand spankin new tillered and un finished hill blank--w/their layout lines---its supposed to be tillered[i didn't string it]---she's a sweet thing --for$325 it can't be beat!!!its a half-breed w/4 tapered lams --they appear to be yew --but could be juniper--and 2-bamboo-- 55#@28-62"--its just stunning!!the clear glass they use is like crystal-unbelivable!!- i'm gonna pull all the stats for your thread and some off my own bows--i tell you this bow makes me want one!!!--i'll try and get the stats tonight and post them

[Hank]

Awsome!

I will get the stats off a few bows, Jerry Hill, a couple of Zebra's and some older Martin's.

[mike robin]

here goes--the hill bow blank
nock to nock----62"
riser------13-1/2"
shelf--1-1/4" above center
set-back---9/16"@center
tiller------3/16"pos
grip----1-1/8"wide--w/a 1/2'flat running up the belly side of grip
fade to nock[limb-length]
top--24-3/4"
bottom--23-5/8"
limb thicknesses
fade to tip
top--.500--.330
bottom--.480--.320

widths measured@ fades---tips
1-1/8"-----1/2"
glass .050 [clear]
belly lam---.1oo----.060[yew]--this is the only lam behind the riser
back lam---.100--.050[yew]
back core.110---.060bamboo]
belly core.090---.030[bamboo]


its all pretty close--its not easy!!measuring this stuff when its glued up!!!

[Hank]

How about a nice simple formula like how many thousanths per inch of taper over all in the limb?
.002, .004, .006 overall? I think Fetro said he likes .006 overall in his.

How many lams? 3 to 5

Riser -- 12 - 16" in length
Does a shorter riser need thicker lams to push the stiffness further out into the limb?
Depth of Riser -- Rough block last time was 1.5" deep, then add the glass and lams. As small as my hands are, the next one I want the over all depth to be 1.5".
Grip shape -- Dished, straighted, slightly humped... comes to more of a point, or a flat spot where it sets in the hand?
Grip length -- used to make mine 4" but after you add a belly lam and glass, it lengthens it a tad... I was thinking of going 3.5 or 3.75", then adding the glass and lam is will be nearer to 4".

Working limb length Top and Bottom limbs? Shorter bottom limb to make is stiffer and to puch the center of the bow up closer to the shelf?

Length of bow? I was thinking anywhere from 66 - 69"

Shelf location -- 1.25" to 2" above center?

Tiller -- do you really like and prefer that stiff lower limb to naturally let the bow set rock solid and low in the hand?

Questions and more Questions

[stagmitis]

Hanky,

The reason for a 4"is because of the Flex associated with something shorter allows "BEND" in the portion of the handle that the "HAND" rests on...Cant have that!

[mike robin]

i like to tiller closer to even -say 1/8" positive--and also center of the bow 1"below the shelf---and that 4" handle --i used to end up with more--until i started allowing for the thickness of the lams in front of the riser[ i don't know the measurement offhand]

[stabow]

I would like to see a bow form for a Hill bow I don’t believe that their entirely flat. It’s a straight limb design but there is a little set back. If you glued one up on an I-beam it wouldn’t have the same profile as a Craig Hill or a Northern Mist style......stabow

[mike robin]

the one i measured had 9/16"setback -[not much]-with the riser straight,the limbs swept foward in what appears to be real even arc---i used a 72"straight-edge to measure it--on first looking at the bow i would have guessed it to be an inch?!but only the riser was straight-on the model i'm finishing