young beginner worried about starting tillering

[youngbowyer33]

hello, i am twelve and have started making bows.i am currently working on a red oak board bow, but i am worried about starting tillering because i have invested alot of time into the bow already. i am using a guide by sam harper to do it and i am using drywall tape for a backing. anyway, i would like to learn some tips and ideas on how to tilller and some useful tools for it,i have a rasp but it is extremely dull and takes of no wood, so i have used a plane to take off all the wood so far.So yeah any help would be greatly appreciated and i can post some pics if you would like to see it

[Pat B]

YoungBowyer, I am going to move this post to "Bows" so you will get more answers to your questions and a better chance with help. Pictures will help though.   Pat

[youngbowyer33]

thanks i wasent sure where i sould put it but i will try to post some pics

[bearbowman]

Don't worry about ruining bows that's how you learn. I've only been trying for a few months and I can tell you that I have made more firewood than shooters. But I have learned something from each one.
If you are going to use a plane set it to where you are taking off very little for tillering. It is very easy to take off too much. You can't put the wood back on.
Keep a positive attitude it will go a long way. If this bow doesn't work out start another.
Good luck.

[Parnell]

Hi youngbowyer and welcome.
Ask around and see if you can get your hands on a cabinet scraper.  It's basically a rectangular piece of steel that you scrape small shavings off your bow's limbs with.  They are relatively inexpensive to purchase, also.  Take your time and understand that it will take some breaks to learn the process.  Be patient and 'in it for the long haul' and you'll succeed.
Are you able to take and post pictures of what you're working with?  That would help things out, greatly.  See if you can.  You'll find the people on this web-site happy to help you.  I'll keep an eye out for your posts.

Parnell

[youngbowyer33]

i will post pics when i can because right now i am having trouble finding my camera.im sure i will get it soon though

[Parnell]

That was the first bow that I started with - using the same website.  It was good for initial learning.  Check out this one, too, it's more complete: http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

Try to build a pulley system for tillering.  It will help you a lot and it's safer.  Start removing wood at the handle and work your way toward the tips.  For the red oak design on that site, remember, you want the last six inches of limb not moving.  Most movement should be mid-limb.  Take you time and keep it even.  Remember to exercise the limbs frequently, after removing small amounts of wood with a scraper, string the bow and flex it 20-30 times only to the draw length that you've built up to.  Don't rush the process. 

You have all the time in the world.  Enjoy the process.

[coyote pup]

Also, what city and state do you live in? A really nice thing would be if you had someone more experienced near you that you could hook up with.

My advice would be to invest in a good rasp. These are great to take off small ammounts of wood in small areas. Then, as was also said above, a good scraper, such as cabinet scraper or pocket knife. The guys on here all love to help so you've come to the right place.

[youngbowyer33]

i live in ottawa ontario, and i did meet a bowyer in barrie named jim something. he gave me some turkey feather and a few arrow shafts.and what type of rasp are we talking about?the long ones like a surform or more like a rasp file?could u show me a picture so i know?my birtday is comming up and i would like to ask for some tools

[DanaM]

A cheap rasp is one of the 4in1 rasps available at any hardware store, thats what I started with and they work ok.
You also need a scraper I used to use a old butcher knife. But your most important tool is going to be patience,
take your time and don't be disappointed if your first bow isn't what you envisioned. Heck my first bow came in at about 8 lbs
and I was tickled pink with it

[coyote pup]

Like Dana said, the 4-in-1 isn't bad. I prefer the full size personally. These files are about 10" long or so, about an inch or 3/4" wide. There are of course diferent types for taking off different ammounts of wood. I prefer a course for rapid removal, and a finer grain for lighter removal and smoothing. I'll see if I can get a pic, but any hardware or home improvement store will have them. I would say that my file is one of my most important tools for bow making.

[youngbowyer33]

but do they actually take off much wood?are they gonna remove it fast enough?

[The Gopher]

patience, patience, patience, working slow is your best tool, next to the scraper.

Also, don't be afraid to ruin a bow, that is how you learn. i thought the same way you did when i started making bows, i worried so much about doing something the right way that nothing ever got done, at least if you are trying and ruining bows you are doing something.

the old saying says... If you ain't breakin' 'em you ain't makin' 'em.

just dive right in, besides, red oak boards are cheap.

good luck, Dan.

PS i didn't get a shootable bow until my 5th or 6th try... They all broke, and after several dozen bows now, i just had one break on me last week when i started to tiller it.

[The Gopher]

fast wood removal is the worst enemy of bow building.

GO SLOW, that's why the scraper is ideal for tillering.

[youngbowyer33]

the only thing is my bow is still pretty thick, and i am aiming for 25# at 25", so i dont know how thin i need it and i dont know if my tiller so far is evenand i basically am worried that there will be a big hinge that might break as soon as i put it on my tillering stick(homemade last night)