started tillering today

[david w.]

i can skip low brace and go to full brace? Thats great.  I have a scraper now I really did need it now things are going much easier.  Im waiting for one more thing to come in the mail and I be almost done. Il be finished Next week definately. My mom is coming home from Eastern Europe tonight pics of tiller will be tomorrow or friday.

Thanks for the help,
David Wilton

[david w.]

Earlier in the bow making process I crushed a part of the bow in the vice about a 3 - 4 " secton just above center.  My dad put this wood stiffening stuff in it and put it back in the vice it dried together and looks as good as new.  I will also remove this in cutting an arrow rest. But i am still concerned what do you guys think?

[Justin Snyder]

Maybe I should ask how long your tillering string is.  Is it the same length as the bow, or is it hanging down 6".  Some may disagree with me, but I usually go from long string to full brace.  If you are at 20" with a string the same length as the bow, you need to get to full brace as soon as you can. Make sure you exercise the limbs a lot before you brace it though.  If the damaged wood is in the non-bending area of the handle you should be fine.  I put a piece of 1x4 pine in between the jaws of the vice and the bow, on each side.  This protects the bow from damage. Slow down a little and get some pictures posted so guys can help you.  You will have a lot better chance of getting a good bow if you wait for help.  Justin

[david w.]

the crushed part is in a non bending part of the handle.  My long string is 81" and my bow ntn is 72" so it hangs down a little.

I cut some arrow shafts today Im going to be making fluflus

[GregB]

Slow down a little and get some pictures posted so guys can help you.  You will have a lot better chance of getting a good bow if you wait for help.  Justin

I agree with Justin's comment above...!

David, when you're using the long string and checking your bow weight prior to brace, it is not at all accurate. You must have the bow to brace (with short string)when checking the draw weight to get an accurate poundage. If you have been bending the bow during your sessions between scrappings and feel that you've been bending the bow to brace height with a long string, then you should be okay to go to the short string and brace the bow. Try and keep the amount of time that you have the bow bent to a minimum during tillering. You could have some spots in your limbs that are thin and bending more, keeping the bow bent such as on a tillering stick for a very long duration will weaken those spots and increase the amount of set you'll have in the finished bow, or even possibly cause the bow to fail.

Like everyone is saying...take it slow and maybe give it a rest for a while until we can get a look see. However this bow turns out, I'm sure you'll have learned a whole lot from the making of it. You'll continue to improve with each bow you make!  

[david w.]

thank you for the help.  I will definately post pics

[Pat B]

I usually go to a low brace(3"-4") once the bow bends to about 8" to 10" on the long string. This is to be sure the limbs are bending evenly and together, and to see how the string tracks. If everything is OK(which it usually isn't ) I exercise the bow and see how it looks just beyond brace height. Once I get a good even brace profile I work my way out to the weight and draw I want.  Simple   Pat

[david w.]

i said I would have pics today but my dad is working late so hopefully tommorw.  I also will have pics of a fluflu arrow i made

[George Tsoukalas]

There's tillering info on my site along with several buildalongs. Jawge

[david w.]

thank you it helped alot