GULP! New HBC R/D

[Minuteman]

  Here we go again folks! Everybody run! Parker's tryin to tiller a bow again. Nah it ain't like that. I'm gonna ask for all of the experienced bowyers on this site to give me their advice as I go. Here are the particulars on the bow blank;
 69 1/2" tip to tip, 6" handle section , right now the upper limb is almost 2" longer than the lower. Not too sure about that much difference between the two.
 The limb tips sit 1 1/2" in front of the handle and there is about 1/4"of deflex( just barely noticeable) in the middle third, roughly.
 Back is sanded and edges are rounded and smooth.
 First pic is long strung on the tree with the 5 pounds of scale hanging from the string
 Second one isstill on th long string  pulled to near where a 4" brace would put it  and around 40#.
 I need help.
 To me it looks like its not bending enough in the inner portion of the reflexed part.Mid limb?
 I ain't touching it til I get some feedback.

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[Justin Snyder]

I would leave the fade outs, and start getting the whole limb bending more. Justin

[Pat B]

I agree with Justin.  Leave the inner 1/3 alone for a while and get the outside bending. Your limb progression looks good so far. It is just bending a bit much inside...or, not enough outside. .
   Gosh, the trials and tribulations of a hickory backed black cherry bow  AND the bowyer's name is Parker. Sheesh!!! That's 2 strikes ain't it!      Pat

[duffontap]

Yeah, if my name was Parker, I'd run for the hills.  The good news is, I have had a student in my shop this week named Parker who's turning out a nice self bow.  There is hope. 

By the way, these guys know what they're talking about.  Leave the inner 18" alone for now.  Good luck--the whole team is pulling for you.

          J. D. Duff

[DanaM]

You can do it Parker!

DanaM

[Pappy]

I agree with all above.Stay away from the fades.I like to work them out close to last anyway.
   Pappy

[Hillbilly]

It's no use, I believe us Parkers were cursed long ago when one of our ancestors offended the wrong person back in whatever country it was that they kicked us out of when we came here (maybe Merlin hired our 14-times-great-grandpappy to build a hick-backed cherry bow for King Arthur )
We don't have much luck, but damn, we're good looking

[Justin Snyder]

Hillbilly, If you are going to break bows, you might as well look good doing it. Justin

[Minuteman]

Do ya'll think  2" difference in the limbs is too much? Should I shorten the upper limb ?
 Whats the normal difference in limb length for a non symmetrical bow?
 Chris

[Minuteman]

Worked on the outer thirds this mornin'. Upper limb will be on right from now on to avoid confusion.
 Got them both bending a little more, to about 6 1/2" of brace height if it were braced, ~40 # roughly. The upper limb started to develop a lil hinge about 8 or 10 inches from the tip but I think I got it stopped soon enough. I removed wood from the whole lower limb and some from either side of the hingey area.
 Whattya think...

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[Justin Snyder]

Looks good man. The upper limb is bending farther.  I would keep working the areas that you have been.  Only scrape each limb about 10 times, then exercise it.  Justin

[huntersim]

Chris, borrowed your picture, hope you don’t mind.

In my experience, with glue-ups similar to yours, the area between the red arrows will be stiff at first, with the area where the blue arrow is, week (like you found out). The transition between the two areas tends to be the hard section on a refex/deflex for me (with glue-ups like this). Get the area mid to lower mid limb moving well before you get it on a short string and you shouldn’t end up with any big surprises.

After you get a short string on it, and it doesn’t show week outer limbs, I start to work the entire limb.

I have the most luck floor tillering a bow like that, in front of a mirror, until the mid limb comes around and doesn’t show a stiff area. Then I go to a short string.

Don’t know if any of this helps, it looks as if you got it figured out. Just figured I’d throw my 2 cents in.


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[Minuteman]

Don't mind at all,Matt. In fact thank you .  I'm beginning to understand why forlks say RD bows are a pain to tiller. It was just like you said the part I had reflexed(where the clamp was) didn't wanna bend and the part where the reflex softened some wanted to bend quicker. I'm thinking thats why Torges trapped his limbs through that section. At least I think thats what he said in the video if my memory serves me.
 The inner part of the limb near the fades hasn't been touched yet . Its still full thickness nearly 3/4". I'm wondering how the deflex has affected the woods response to tension. Seems to want to bend readily. Neat stuff, to me its all new.
 I'll get on it again tomorrow in the mornin if my migraine is done by then.
 Chris

[huntersim]

The way I see deflex is like a big lever. If you set a lever almost strait up, under a big rock its hard to pull down (no leverage). If you set the lever under the big rock at waist level, you gain better leverage. Deflex is like setting the lever lower. If that makes sense.

You might be right about why Torges says to trapp the mid limb. It also gives you a better neutral plane in that area of the limb. So it seems to serve 2 purposes.

Another thing that might help, once you get the bow on a short string, get the limbs absolutely as even as you can. Its tougher to see the quicker bending areas at brace height, but its a huge help in avoiding a hing.

I think you'll get a good bow out of this one, just take your time.

[Marc St Louis]

You want to leave the outer limbs alone for now including the outer red arrow. Work the inner limbs, where Matt has put a red arrow