Is your bow still 3/4" thick, 71" long and 2.5" at the fades?
right now it is, but there is probably half of that weight coming off. from reading the internet, the backing doesn't seem to do much for draw weight. what it does, I think, is handle the huge tension forces on the back and help keep it from breaking, and helps them last longer.
the width at the fades promotes higher draw weights, but there are paddle bows that are wider than that and very skinny in thickness and are good shooters.
my tentative plan is to start thinning the fades until I can get some movement there, then thin toward the tips. they finish up around 3/8ths, so half the thickness gone.
right now, with no thinning started, there is one limb already curved and the other is dead straight. and the curved one is bendier, so for now it's the upper limb.
I can reduce draw weight by narrowing the fades, and I've seen a chart that says 1-1/2 inches for the 25# area. Which is why I have long limbs for now.
as far as backing, I think I like the silk idea . . . and if that's not adequate, I have lots of f'glass cloth, polypropelene cloth, and very good flexible epoxy resin that I trust and know how to use. I could deflex the bow with that setup, if that's the correct use of the term. I'm thinking I could make the bow curve the wrong way unstrung to offset some string following. if that's the correct use of the term.
thanks for chipping in men. I know this isn't a bowbuilder website, but I don't want to join any forums, I'm comfortable on this one, and trust the guys that are here. and besides, I'll be tossing 325gr projectiles at something like 150fps, and the squirrel arrow will have a .380 cartridge for the blunt. So there is a tie-in of sorts. And besides, when I get the string release built that Nick at backyardboyer designed, I will have a lever involved in the discharge of the projectiles.
I don't know, I may have put a little too much Tillamook Mudslide in the expresso today, but hey, why not, eh?
if I've gotten out on the wrong limb, someone will hopefully enlighten me before I have to turn it into BBQ charcoal.