tillering tree

[sadiejane]

picked up a nice used hanson scale the other day.
we have a good place to put up a tillering tree permanent in the bldg we do bow making class.
wondered if i could get some of ya'll to post pix of yr tillering tree setup. thanks!

[Shaun]

Basic structure is 1 x 4 screwed to wall. Mine has rope and two pulleys - one fixed (out of picture) and one at string hook with rope end going back down to fixed point - to give mechanical advantage of x2 to pull rope. Grid was added to help visualize bend. Marks for draw length measured from handle cradle plus 1.5" for standard. The handle cradle has evolved through several configurations. In the pic there are two cradles, the first is two plywood "U" brackets and between them is a balance type piece that I tried which has a wide groove in the top of an arc. Presently I am using a leather sling (not in picture) with hole cut in middle for bulbous handles. The sling is fixed on one end and locks over a wood pin above to hold - it is more like my hand.  Small shelf holds tillering Gizmo and digital scale hanging below it.

[Del the cat]

Here's mine

Del

[osage outlaw]

Here is what mine looks like.  I made a grid for a background.  I keep my scale mounted on a different wall.  I weigh it and measure the draw length then move it to the tree.  Doing it that way lets me use the double pulley set up which cuts the force needed to draw the bow in half.  That helps out when exercising the limbs.

[Del the cat]

@Osage Outlaw.
I like the double pulley. I have a trailer winchwith a cutdown handle but it's slow. I can see the double pulley would still allow you to exercise a heavy bow smooth and quick without breaking your back.
I might try that on my heavt big 'un.
Del

[mikekeswick]

Add more pulleys if the old arms are struggling Del
3 is the most efficent number - after that you lose it through friction plus have to pull too far.

[Del the cat]

Add more pulleys if the old arms are struggling Del
3 is the most efficent number - after that you lose it through friction plus have to pull too far.

Yeah.
Next longbow I'm doing is 90# @ 28" That early exercisinging of the bow is awkward when you are pulling down at chest level whilst trying keep back at arms length to look at the bow. Yup I gotta adapt that rig.
BTW, dunno if you saw the Crossbow with the Laburnum prod.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,28795.msg381767.html#msg381767
Gotta admit I was pretty impressed with the wood specially as it had some knots and shakes, ta for the advice on that.
I might play at laminating up some different prods using some of my offcuts... (drifts off into fantasy about random 3/16" square strips of assorted woods bunled together into daft shapes )
Del
Del

[Bowyer3]

I have been trying to figure out what type of cradle works best for my tillering tree.  What do others find works best for the cradle part?  Should the bow balance on cradle or be held secure or ??
Bowyer3

[Pat B]

Once the bow is braced it will sit on any cradle style unsupported. A use a 2x4 block for a cradle but before bracing I sometimes have to use a clamp to hold the bow on the cradle.

[Bowyer3]

Thanks Pat.  I have clamped bows on tiller stick at times also.  I was unsure if I had made mine correct.  I was wondering if handle had to be on a narrow pivot or a square block of 2' by 4' or whatever so I would get the best picture of near handle bending and in handle bending.  Does that make sense?
Bowyer3

[Del the cat]

I have been trying to figure out what type of cradle works best for my tillering tree.  What do others find works best for the cradle part?  Should the bow balance on cradle or be held secure or ??
Bowyer3

You don't want a clamp as such.
I have a curved support block  like a D lying curved face up with some rubber sheet stuck on the top face.
IMO it's important for the bow to be able to rock back and forth.
If it is clamped solid, the limbs are almost garanteed to pull back evenly which will give a false impression.
Del

[George Tsoukalas]

Here's my rope and pulley.  Who's that guy in the photo? Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/directions.html

[Pat B]

By the time I get 8" of tip movement I go to low brace of 3". From there on no clamps.

[Jeremiah]

This thread helped me out in my design- so I thought I'd share my setup. Its fairly simple. Just screwed 3 2x4s on horizontally, attached cardboard, screwed on another small 2x4, attached an outside 2x4 to it to make a shelf and then leveled it out. Drilled a hole straight into the stud for the pulley and another hole to put the eye-bolt through it.