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Author Topic: Tillering tree  (Read 8152 times)

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Offline adb

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Tillering tree
« on: July 18, 2009, 06:32:10 pm »
Several people have emailed me, asking me to post some pics of my tiller tree set up. I'm not sure why, it's a rather simple affair, really. First off, I don't own a tiller stick. I have 0 use for them. I don't like to leave my bows statically braced for any longer than I have to.

Here are a few pics:

I have a 4X8 sheet of plywood mounted on the wall in my shop. The tree itself is a piece of cedar 2X4. I built the top out with a double thickness of 2X4, so the bow sits out away from the back while I'm working it. I have a pulley rigged in the center at the bottom. I used a 10" piece of 1" dowel with a hole drilled thru it for a handle. I also used a trigger clip to attach the pulley rope to the bow string.

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« Last Edit: July 18, 2009, 06:39:42 pm by adb »
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Offline adb

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2009, 06:36:08 pm »
The first line on the backing is for a 6" brace height (which i prefer), and the other reference lines are 2" apart. The interesting thing about my tiller tree is, I've put deck screws down the 2X4 at 1" intervals for draw length, with the screw heads just sticking out. I can statically brace the bow quickly at whatever draw length i want, and then mark the limbs with my tiller tool.

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Offline adb

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2009, 06:38:50 pm »
Of course, I can work the bow on the tree with the pulley system from a safe distance. I just put an extra screw near the top to hold the pulley rope when I'm not using it. Pretty basic. I hope this helps !  ;D

One other thing I've been doing for a while is getting someone else to work the limbs with the pulley, and I stand off to one side at about a 45 degree angle to watch the limbs working. It helps to see symmetry even better.

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« Last Edit: July 18, 2009, 06:43:44 pm by adb »
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radius

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2009, 07:31:14 pm »
good stuff, buddy

i'm surprised that you don't have an upper lip on that tree, though, to prevent the thing from falling off.
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Offline sailordad

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2009, 07:32:42 pm »
only differance from that and my stick tree is you stand farther away
other than that your using it exactly like i use my stick
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i always wanted a harley,untill it became the "thing to ride"
i ride because i love to,not to be part of the crowd

Adam Keiper

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2009, 07:36:59 pm »
That's a nice setup.  It looks pretty similar to mine, minus the screw heads.  The horizontal lines are nice references to see how much one limb is bending more than the other.  I, too, have hooks on the side for holding the scales, handle, and a little piece of protective leather that I lay over the bowstring before hooking the scales on.  I don't think I'll ever find someone to excercise a bow for me, but when I have trouble evaluating the tiller, I have occasionally taken digital photos and brought them up on my computer screen to scrutinize.  It's not something that I like to rely on, but it's a useful crutch when I hit a mentally tiller challenged moment.
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AKAPK

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2009, 08:14:02 pm »
Thats a nice System, I like that Bow too ;)
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Offline adb

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2009, 10:00:02 pm »
Quote from: radius on July 18, 2009, 07:31:14 pm
good stuff, buddy

I'm surprised that you don't have an upper lip on that tree, though, to prevent the thing from falling off.

You know, I've thought the same thing occasionally, but I've never had a bow come off.
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Offline adb

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2009, 10:02:06 pm »
Quote from: AKAPK on July 18, 2009, 08:14:02 pm
Thats a nice System, I like that Bow too ;)
Hey, Phillip

Thanks. The bow is a maple selfbow I'm just finishing for a friend's wife. It's 66" ntn, 35#@27", cocobolo tip overlays, and riser accent. Nothing fancy, just a basic flatbow.
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Offline denny

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2009, 12:23:18 pm »
Thanks for shareing ,but how do you weight the bow out?
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Offline Pappy

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2009, 12:35:36 pm »
You put a scale between the hook and the bow string .Then just pull it to what draw you have and there it is.That is about like mine less the screws.Never hook them down at longer draw lengths. :)
   Pappy
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Offline adb

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2009, 12:41:33 pm »
Just like Pappy said. And no, I don't pull the bow down and hook it to the screws at full draw. I usually only hook it 2-3" above final draw length. The bow pictured is tillered out to 28", and I have it hooked at 26". I only use the pulley to pull it to full draw.
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radius

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2009, 01:19:05 am »
it's amazing how different it feels to pull a bow on a tree instead of down from a stick.  It's WAY harder!  I feel like i'm going to break the bow i know can handle 28!...angles i guess...

my pulley is maybe 20" off the floor...could that have anything to do with it?  Should it be lower?
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Offline adb

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2009, 10:56:19 am »
Quote from: radius on July 26, 2009, 01:19:05 am
it's amazing how different it feels to pull a bow on a tree instead of down from a stick.  It's WAY harder!  I feel like i'm going to break the bow i know can handle 28!...angles i guess...

my pulley is maybe 20" off the floor...could that have anything to do with it?  Should it be lower?
No, I don't think so. Should be fine. I can actually tell, usually within 5#, what the draw weight is when I'm pulling it on the tree. You'll get used to it.
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radius

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Re: Tillering tree
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2009, 11:55:29 am »
it's just weird...cuz i can press DOWN 50 # no problem ( i mean,  i feel it, but it's easy) whereas it feels so much heavier pulling it towards.

I look forward to being able to judge...i bet that's especially handy in the initial stages, right after floor tillering, where you just wanna indoctrinate that sucker to its new regime, and pull it to 50 (or whatever) 100 times, even if it's only to 6 inches...


Adam, do you use the gizmo?  I've never used one before, and always mirror-tillered, but last night i put up some of my laminates on the tree and found it wasn't a smooth bend all the way through.  In every case, the lower limb was stiffer, which i had intended.  But in most cases, it was stiffer than it needed to be.  I just made a gizmo like Eric Krewson always advocates, and we'll see how that goes.

cheers
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