I agree.

2" would give you plenty of wood to work with. 65" length with a 50lb @ 28" is very obtainable, just have to watch your tiller and not go any faster than the wood tells you. You might not want to start with a shorter bow. Id suggest using the full 70" and make a bow 69-68" ntn. I’d still suggest backing with something needless of grain.. A good start design thatwill give you a good starting pointwould be;

Start with a 1 1/2 - 1 3/4" width.
6-8" static grip (this way you will have plenty of limb)
2" fades
Go 12-16" off fadethen tapperto 1/2" tips.

Just a basic idea that will give you something to learn from.

Thanks, but I was thinking the classic pyramid, where you taper straight to the tips (maybe 10" from the tips leave the tips the same width) from the widest point of the limbs, that gives a more circular tiller than the eliptical tiller of the modified pyramid. This would also allow me to tiller from the sides and leave the thickness the same the length of the limbs, to a point.

Based on this specific design I was wondering if 2" was enough to start.

You been reading vol 4 haven't you? I am just not at the point yet in my bowbuilding experience to start tillering from a mass perspective.

If that is the case, I would start with 2" or more. Oak is not all that dense and does not like thin designs much.

When you say, "does not like", do you mean it will be sluggish, or might break easy? I thoght the safe route was wide and thin with any wood that is second string?

Kent.

Would leaving the Belly and Back curved from the center line out to the edge make the red Oak a little more stable??????????????

It's just a thought.

Actually I think it was volume III (library didn't have IV then, I need to check again), and a bunch of time spent at the paleo world forum

The tiller from the sides aspect of the Pyramid bow design intrigues me. I can imagine doing it with a joiner. I also really like the look of the pyramid bows, especially the narrow starting ones, not so much the really wide ones. I may even let it bend in the handle a bit, depending on how it feels.

All of this is in the conceptual stage right now, and I figure if I don't try it, I'll never know. I simply don't currently have the free time to build stave bows, maybe someday, and until I get the true pyramid out of my system, I won't be able to move onto belly elliptical tillering board bows.

If it works, I had even thought of backing it with thin glass, assuming I can find some thin enough that won't overpower the compression strength of the red oak, which if I remember correctly is pretty good, more so than it's tension strength.

Side tillering is supposally much more sensitive than belly tillering. I myself would start off with belly tillering. Much more room for error. Let us know how it works out. If you have a bandsaw, only thing extra you have to do compared to board is cut it out.

Red oak is going to be sluggish regardless. OR from my experience. As far as "like", I mean break. A general idea with woods is, the denser they are, the thinner you can go. Oak is not real dense and will do better with wider designs.

I would get belly tillering down first. Your notion of a jointer is great, until you tiller. When you start tillering, you will find the slightest removal of wood, will make a huge difference. You will rock along taking big curls off, then all of the sudden a hinge will show up. Side tillering is kind of hard to learn. Not too hard after you have belly tiller down but you have to watch for limb twist more so than with belly tillering. That is why I suggested a flat design. True pyramids are kind of hard to tiller, if you have not spent much time belly tillering. Or in my oppinion. Ive done a few pyramid and paddle designs. Both designs are side tiller designs.

As for using glass. dont worry about over powering the belly. You can get by with all kinds of stuff when you put it under glass. Also, glass the back before you ever start tillering. You dont need to buy prepregnated glass, just use two part, clear epoxy and glass cloth. It will be perfectly clear after it cures.

But you are right, if that is what you want to do, go for it. You never learn until you try.