New Guy - First Tiller - Help

[karaterick]

Hi. I am new to the boards and to bow making - I have begun my first undertaking - an oak board bow and would like any advice you can share. It seems like the limbs are too thick to me. I don't have any backing yet. Not sure if that's wise or not.
I currently have it on it's first tiller - Can you tell me how it looks so far?
Also, how long to I leave it in each position when tillering? Do I leave it long enough to let it form shape or just long enough to look for imperfection?
Anything else I should know?

[Stalkingfox]

How long is your stave?

[karaterick]

It's 72" tip to tip.

[twisted hickory]

I built a pyramid that ended up 46 at 28 that was 70 tt after heat treat limb thickness was around .5. Go slow as it doesn't take much to change weight quite a bit. A sixteenth in thickness can equal a big weight reduction. There are many on here w more experience than me.

[karaterick]

 My limb thickness is about 5/8" of an inch near the handle. Probably close to 1/4" at the tips.

[mwosborn]

Looks like it is starting to bend ok.  I would suggest getting it to a low brace with a short string.  The long string sometimes does not show the tiller very well.  Go slow.  I do not like to "hold" the bow at a very long draw for very long. I like slowly bending it on a tillering tree.  Also I would suggest a tillering gizmo to help tiller.

Is your bow a pyramid style?  It appear so - the limbs should be pretty uniform in thickness with a slight taper to tip.

[karaterick]

I'm not sure, technically what would be considered a pyramid bow. It is a board bow and I glued the handle on. The handle is tapered to the limbs, but has no cut. I have rounded the belly side a bit, but afraid to touch the back. Especially because I haven't decide if I want to wait until I can get a nice backing for it.

[mwosborn]

A pyramid style the limbs narrow from handle to tip like this... a parrallel limb design the limbs are the same iin width to midlimb or so and then taper to tip.

[karaterick]

 Ok, thank you. Mine is the parrallel limb design then.

[mwosborn]

Ok - then your "tiller" will come from the thickness taper from fades to tip.  In other words, the limbs will be thickest at fades and gradually thinner to tips (within 6" or so anyway).  1/2" thickness at fades and feathering out to 1/4 seems reasonable.  I have never worked with oak though.  Try and get her to brace and see what happens.  You can always remove more wood if it seems to thick for you!  What weight you after?

[karaterick]

 I'd like to be about 45lbs at 28", but I would be ok give or take 5 or 6 lbs.

[karaterick]

 I haven't cut my rest in yet. Will it make a difference if I add the rest after tillering or should I stop and add the rest before I go any further?

[mwosborn]

I would wait on rest until you have it tillered out.  Personally I normally don't cut in a shelf.  Some do, some don't.  I build up a rest from wood or leather, or make a "floppy" rest.  Do a quick search and you should find some examples.  Either way, I would wait on that.

[karaterick]

Ok. Cool. Thanks!

[autologus]

If you haven't rounded the edges on the back, do it before you have it bending much.  It is much easier for straight edges to lift a splinter than rounded edges.

Grady