330#/7" wood bow

Here is something that might be of interest.
This is ment as documentation for reference.

A bird-cherry (prunus padus) prod.
String: 75 cm
Length measured along the bow back: 86 cm
Width x thickness: 40mm x 38 mm at middle,
25mm x 23mm at tips.
Power stroke: 183 mm
Brace height 190 mm - measured fom belly of the bow
Draw weight after first test shooting : ca 150 kg
Stave is a sapling with natural deflex close to brace height.

The prod is seen here mounted on a temporary tiller with even more temporary whippe contraption.
The string has required some adjusting , as can be seen from asymmetric serving and loops.

I might built a nicer tiller for this if the bow survives some more test use.

But mainly this is a feasibility study and practice run. I have an other stave waiting that should make about 800#/7" bow and a 5"x3" rowan log to try a proper medieval style 2000 lbs military crossbow...

... - maybe, one day.
I started this current one last summer and it took a while of re-tillering , re-stringing and breaking in to get it hold the string tension after spanning.

Really interesting project, I am also interested in wooden bows. I have only built a couple but I found my bows started to struggle with set when draw length went much above 1/4 of bow length. Is your length of power stroke draw length plus brace height?  150kg is much more than I have attempted yet, I’m very impressed,

Also, bird cherry is an unusual choice, it has a nasty reputation for going “bang” but being fabulous if you can get a piece to work. The Rowan should be amazing. I guess you don’t have access to yew or wych elm?

Cool example of extreme deflex.

Thank you