Any Hope?

[DLH]

Trying to build a hickory pyramid its 68in long and 1 and a half wide here it is a brace looks rough.



I thinks its bending way to much at the fades. If anything have learned some lessons 1. pay attention and don't cut it narrower than planned (aiming for 1 3/4 but mind was wandering) 2. careful with the fades if they bend too much its bad news. I guess I learn the hard way but if you read about a mistake its a lot harder to learn if you make a mistake its completely different. At this point I just want a shootable bow I don't have any money in it except glue the rest was scraps from my grandpas shop. So what do you all think?

[JonW]

What is it braced at? Looks a little too high. You are right about it bending right out of the handle a bit much. Stay away from that area completely. Let's see a full draw shot. It is definately salvagable but it may come in lighter than you wanted and have some string follow. It's a good experience maker though.

[adb]

I think you're on the right track. Your bow is bending too much right at the fades. Remove wood mid-limb, and out to the tips, and you should be able to save it. Don't bend it anymore until you do.

[DLH]

I had been bracing it running a tillering gizmo up the limbs than unbraceing and removing wood and repeating have left the weaker limb alone though thought that would help. The brace is at about 7in to the belly side of the handle.

[Buckeye Guy]

Keep going your  doing fine !!
Guy

[Del the cat]

Drop the brace height an inch for now to ease off the load.
I'm that it will end up a shooter, might be a tad less poundage than you wer hoping for, but just tell folk you were aiming for that stiff outer limb style of tiller anyway!
Del

[MWirwicki]

You're getting there.  Don't give up on her.  Lower the brace height a bit, as suggested.  Leave the wood on  near the handle and remove wood from midlimb out to about 4-6" from the tip ends.  You just need to get the entire limb bending rather than just that part of the limb nearest the handle.   Finish it and learn from it.

[DLH]

Does it look any better? I think it looks a little better but what do I know. I don't have another string right now or a jig to make one trying not had enough time to trade for one.

[Buckeye Guy]

Keep going your getting there !
I cant wait to see ya finish this !
Guy

[adb]

The mid and outer limbs still look very stiff. I still wouldn't touch the fades. A pic with it bending a bit would also help.

[johnston]

I agree with adb. On the plus side it is hickory Can you get a pic of the bow being drawn a little?

Lane

[Josh B]

looking alot better.  I agree with others, still a tad stiff from mid limb out.  If you're going to keep making bows(everybody here knows you will) you are going to want to learn to make flemish strings, no jig required.  A 1/4 # roll of b-50 will only set you back about 8 bucks and you can make alot of strings from it.  They aren't hard to make, once you get the hang of it.  BTW that already looks way better than my first.  Good work so far!
     Josh

[DLH]

Thanks everyone. I have the string material just have seen the flemish strings made on a jig online. Have made one string from a endless jig I improvised but it was just temporary. I'll scrap some more and post some more pics.

[soy]

Yes there is hope!!!you can do it, you already have good advice so I will just give you moral support can't wait to see final pics.if u need advice on string making pm me I will try to help.

[mikekeswick]

Really you shouldn't be bracing that bow as the limbs are still not the same strength, in the last pic the one on the left is still stronger. It also has a better shape - more even bend. The right limb is still bending too much out of the fade. Remove material form the right limb- around 8-10 inches from the fade out to the tip. Then remove wood from the left limb everywhere apart from the first few inches (4ish) out of the fade. You will have to take off more from the left limb to even up the strengths. If the right limb was bending correctly then it wouldn't look so out of tiller.
Remember when tillering you are aiming to stress the bow the minimum amount necessary to see stiff/weak spots.
Hope this helps.