positive of centre????

[Goatchaser]

Gday all I am new to the site and relatively new to archery, as a lot of newbies I went out and bought me a compound bow straight off and thought that would be it, wrong I'm not right into the whole bells and whistles that attach to the compound bows, so I am shopping around for a long bow maybe recurve decurve, and while looking have come across the term "riser cut 1/16" or 3/16 positive of centre, or past centre, can someone help me out with where this measurement is taken, is it where shelf sits??? or am I way off??
Any help is greatly appreciated Sean.

[little arrows]

Hi Sean,

The shelf is the bit where you put the arrow on the bow and the "size" means how much of the timber from the riser is cut away for the arrow to sit on.
ie. Selfbow, no shelf, shoot off the knuckle, Recurves cut up to "centre shot", so the shelf is cut through to the "middle" of the riser, Longbows being many descriptions will vary from very little shelf, in to "where the bowyer" makes it.

I am not a bowyer and I am sure some will give you a more technical answer. This one will do until then.

cheers
sue

[otis.drum]

it's just how far the shelf is cut in.

[Goatchaser]

thanks a heap guys, I was thinking on the right track then, so when I read "riser cut to 1/16" positive of centre" it means the shelf stops 1/16 before the centreline of the riser? Thanks again.

[Fanto]

yep.

what this affects is the arrow spine required for the bow. cut past centre bows need stiffer spine, cut before centre bows need weaker.

the yard stick is that a 50lb bow drawn to 28, with a 28" arrow and 125gr tip, with a bow cut 1/8 before centre needs a .500 spine arrow

every 1/8 of centre cut changes the spine required by 5Lbs

cheers

ps. did you get the PM?

[Goatchaser]

Cheers Fanto that explains a little more again have sent you a reply too.