My first selfbow near completion, but need tiller advice

[Strong Leaf]

The bow is near completion and is measurements are 60" NTN that is pulling 38#@13inches   Osage orange
It has a slight gradual cure side to side like a "(" shape. When it is braced the string (58" Fast Flight 16strand) lays on the right side to center line ,,which I feel is fine because I am shooting left handed. There was A big knot that I placed in the handle area located a bit left of centerline on the bottom part of handle as shown in last pic. I feel the wood is thicker on the curved side but tapers across the belly to the straight side. I am just using a four-in-one rasper to rasp down along both limbs going from center to tips of limbs. And leaving the tips a bit thicker then the inner 2/3 of limb. As I remove wood I am following the natural shape of the body. I am just seeking advice on how to get the bow to pull 55-60# @ 28". Thank you for reading and I have to just say that this this site PA is has the greatest group of people who support , who are unbelievably talented, and posses hard to acquire skills.

[beetlebailey1977]

You are definitely going to have to narrow it down some.......at least the tips.  Looks way to wide judging from your hand. 

[SLIMBOB]

Few things.  I would get the front view profile finished at this point.  You can leave the tips wide as you work one down, but at a point you have to narrow to it's finished shape.  For me, once I have a string on it, the shaping has been finished (there are exceptions to this but no need to go there). You are tillering now, so most of the wood removal will come from the belly.  As stated above, I would get the tips narrower for sure, 1/2" wide or so.  Make sure your thickness taper is even on both sides of the limb (use a caliper or a crescent wrench).  I mention this because you said, I think, that the limb is thicker on one side.

[Strong Leaf]

Thanks beetlebailey and slimbob for the responses ,, On the top limb 20" out From the middle of the bow is 1.6875 inches wide and tapers to 6/8(the tip) . And 20" out from the middle of the bow towards the bottom limb starts @ 1.75 inches wide and tapers to 0.6875 (5/8+1/16) for the outer 3rd of the limb . ,,, I am going to bring both tips to 1/2 ,,,, would an inch @ the outer 3rd be a good width that tapers for the last 10 inches to 1/2 inch @tip Thanks again 

[Weylin]

How wide are you planning on having it be at the widest point (the fades)? It seems unnecessarily wide at this point judging from the pics.  Osage is a dense wood with good compression. It can tolerate being narrower than many woods and that allows it to reduce it's mass thus improving cast. With that flat bow style you have going I'd say 1 1/2" should be plenty wide for the weight you want. Maybe someone with more osage experience will correct me but that's my humble assessment. Any wider than that and I think it will just make the bow a bit sluggish.

[occupant]

I agree on narrowing it at this stage. After taking the sides down you might be around the weight you wanted with mabe a little more taken off the belly to finish.

[SLIMBOB]

When I first started making these Bois d'ark self bows, mid 90s, mine were 2" wide and all under 60" long.  I now make most longer, around 64-66", and 1 1/2" wide, some around 1 1/4".  If the wood is more dense than average (wider growth rings with a small percentage of early growth, say 10-15%) go narrow.  If it appears less dense than average (narrow growth rings and lots of early growth) go wider.  Still 1 1/2" width at the fades seems to be a good mark for me.  Narrow tips regardless.

[Strong Leaf]

Thanks for inputs I am narrowing today. And at the fades it gets pretty wide ( 2+ inches ) because the knot that I mentioned above starts on the right edge just below handle on the lower limb and goes diagonally through the bow and stops around center line on the belly. It has a rotted center and I am hoping to just fill it in on the belly with some real " running " superglue. I would of made it alot thinner but I am just playing it safe with the diagonal knots (one more on top limb the starts on edge and also goes inward&downward  towards centerline) thanks again everyone

[Strong Leaf]

here are pics of 1/2 " tips ,,I am still narrowing whole profile

[SLIMBOB]

Post a pic of the knots your talking about, and the handle area.  Keep in mind, it's one thing to say "make it 1 1/2" wide", but if there are knots or other peculiarities, you may need to go wider at those spots.  I'm curious about the knots you mentioned.

[Strong Leaf]

here they are...both fall on the right side of the back of the bow,and on the bottom limb.

[Del the cat]

You wanted tiller advice, so here goes, IMO the left limb is wirking a tad hard win the outer 1/3 - 1/2 where the right limb is a tad stiff in comparison.
I'm assuming the right limb is the lower one hence the slighter stiffness.
The extra tip width is fine during early tillering as it give you room to adust the string line, but like the other guys say, now you can be slimming it down.
Personally I tend to leave a hint of extra width until it's had a few arrows through it, in case it needs some fine adustment of string line.
(I'm a tad worried that there doesn't seem to be extra thickness at the grip to compensate for where it gets narrower).
Del

[Marc St Louis]

I'm a tad worried that you don't seem to have chased a back ring on this bow.

[mikekeswick]

If you've de-crowned it on purpose ok but if not then back it with rawhide before going any further.
You have a few weak spots on the drawn picture - do not pull it ANY further until these are fixed.

[SLIMBOB]

Well, Mark and Mike are right.  Appears from the last pics you didn't follow one growth ring on the back.  Do you know where to get rawhide, hide glue and have you read anything on applying a backing?  If not, plenty of info on this forum, plenty of guys that will help.  I would not do any further tiller work until you got 'er backed.  It requires some skill and knowledge, so educate yourself before you attempt it.   Must reads in TBBI, II, III, and IV.  Search function on this forum.  Find a bow maker close by and and get some hands on help, post pics and ask questions.