Elderberry longbow for my brother

[Jodocus]

I got this stave from my brother to make a bow from him. It was a fine piece of sambuccus nigra, but with some severe propeller twist in the inner limbs. I'm scared of propeller twist, so I avoided this build for a while. It really was the most difficult tillering I have done yet. Not only does it look quite different from the two sides, but also the angle I look at changes it's appearance.

But elder's real nice and forgiving wood, so I came up with a shooting bow. Cowhorn tips and strikeplate, paraffin finish.

It's a bit under 73" long, 27 ounces mass, 71# @ 32". By far the largest bow I've built. It shoots ok with a 26" draw (about 55#), has a tad of tilty handshock. Since I can't draw it further, I just flexed it on the pulley endlessly insted of shooting it in. I can't wait to learn how it really shoots.

I still have it, so comments on the tiller are highly welcome. My brother trains archery regularly, and he'll get 2000 arrows trough it in no time, so I want the tiller to be good. Maybe I'll narrow the outer limbs some.

[Jodocus]

and some bending: on the tiller at 32" and me pulling 26" 

[danny f]

that looks great. i have a a few pieces of elderberry cut ready for making but havent attempted one yet. i think you did great with a challenging stave. the finish is excellent too. well done.

[dwardo]

That looks like it was a right brain scratcher to tiller nice work indeed.

I have a very similar Elderberry stave i roughed out ages ago with almost identical prop twist. Still not plucked up the courage to tiller it out yet. Did you heat out some of the twist? If so how did it take the heat?

[blackhawk]

Tiller looks fine to me....its prob shocky cus your only shooting it at 55 pounds and its overbuilt for that cus its a 71 pound bow(especially if you were shooting lighter arrows than it should have) Have your brother shoot it first at the full draw length and see how it shoots for him before making any reductions. It might be ok at his draw with a 10 grain per pound arrow.

Nice job

[Pappy]

Beautiful bow on a wicked looking stave.Nice job, question, was their some reason you didn't want to take the twist out before you tillered it ?
   Pappy

[Badly Bent]

You made a beautiful bow out of that twisted stave, real nice work indeed! Tiller looks right on to me Jodocus.
Greg

[lesken2011]

Nice job, J. I'm sure he will love it!!

[Jodocus]

Thanks guys. Glad to hear the tiller looks right cause I was truly insecure about it.

@ Danny f: go ahead and try it, it's my favourite wood, very pressure tolerant and a dream to work.
@ pappy, dwardo: I have no caul big enough to steam an entire stave, and I'm still very uncomfortable with dry heat. I didn't dare on a "borrowed" stave.

[burn em up chuck]

        well done

                     chuck

[Keenan]

Very nice bow.  looks like the prop twist cancled out to center very well.

[Carson (CMB)]

Wow! That pic showing the prop twist through brace is amazing.  Like Keenan said, looks like it cancels out.  Nice bow.