Ocean spray bow tillering questions

[Accipiter]

Hello everyone, i'm a newbie here, and trying not to screw up my first nice stave! There's a ton of great advice on these forums so I've been trying not to spam all of you with too many questions, but here's one that's been nagging me:



So, this is the cross section of the broader parts of my limb, with one side sloping off at a different angle than the other. Its not quite as extreme in the wood as it is in my drawing, but it makes it a bit confusing when I'm trying to even up the amount of exposed woods on the sides! Any ideas as to how to deal with this?



Also, since I'm here, can I pick you're brains on where to take off wood when I get back to tillering?

Here's some stats on the bow in general: Clean ocean spray stave, just under 53" ntn. Came from a 1 3/4" branch, so good crown.
Dimensions are around 1 5/16" wide and 3/4" thick at middle, 1 1/4 x 9/16" at mid-limb and 11/16 x 9/16 near the tips.

Aiming for a bendy-handled bow, about #45-50 at 26-27". This wood is crazy dense and not any big knots to speak of, so I think its doable. Currently braced at 2.5" and pulling #32 at 16".

[randman]

I wouldn't worry about the flatter side of the cross section. Just adds to the crowning effect and Ocean Spray is extremely tension strong anyway and a crown is no problem.  I wouldn't worry about the amount if wood exposed on the sides as that will vary depending on dips and waves in the edge. More important is the thickness taper in the center of the crown from the grip (center) to the tip. Bend looks real good on that stick just needs a little scraping on the last 1/3 toward the tip of the left limb to equal the right limb and you got it. That'll make a nice little shorty. OS really improves with heat treating also. How long has that piece been seasoning?
Love that OS.
You must be in the PNW if you're using Ocean Spray. I'm in Seattle (got lots of it available round here)

[Carson (CMB)]

Welcome hawkman, that is a nice ocean spray stave right there.  Looks like a good bend on it.  It is hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like near the handle on the right limb is a tad stiff, and maybe the outer thirds could bend a hair more on each limb.  Is that braced low, or long string?

[Accipiter]

Thanks for the advice randman, I'll just make sure that belly is flat and trust the back to hold - you're definitely right about the tension strength! This piece has been seasoning inside for only a few months but its been floor tillered for all of it and I cut it right at the end of an extremely long dry summer, so it was pretty dry to begin with. Done a bit of straitening with dry heat already and no cracks or such, so I think its safe to heat treat. When would be the right time to heat treat it? I was thinking about getting it to about #45 at 26" and then flipping the tips, stringing it backwards (low brace) and heat treating it then to try to lock in the flip. Should I do it earlier instead?

CMB - I totally agree with your tillering suggestions, glad to know I'm on the right track! Its a long string (paracord, no real string yet  )I think given the length of the bow, I am aiming for a low brace height though, maybe 5".

P.S. definitely in the PNW, portland actually. this particular stave came from the san juan islands though. Some really big OS there....

[Bryce]

Used to work on San Juan

[Weylin]

Hey! another Portland bowyer! Welcome to PA. Looks pretty good. Sounds like you're getting some good advice. I'd be glad to meet ya sometime. I live in SE.

[Bryce]

We all need to meet up like once a month or something.

[Weylin]

Bryce, are you on the Rose City Bowyers email list? There's talk of a get together coming up. We also meet at Sylvan Archery Range on New Year's every year. You should come down for that.

[Bryce]

I've never heard of it lol

[burn em up chuck]

   i like your scale, hows that working for you?

[Accipiter]

evldwrf - I like it a lot actually. Its definitely not accurate below about 2 oz increments but its fine for tillering. I think I got it on amazon for $15 or so.

Thanks for the welcome Weylin. I'll be leaving the country for a bit in the near future (maybe I can find some good wood in Ecuador!), but if I'm around town after that it would be fun to meet up.