Rookie Hickory Board Bow

[(bow)Hunter]

So despite the small tear-outs which aren't very noticeable now, the bow is coming along pretty well! The only issue I'm facing is that it's pulling almost #42 at 10 inches... Which I'm not worried about me being able to ultimately pull back but I don't believe the wood can handle that much stress haha. It's straight Hickory 66" ntn and it's kind of a slightly off pyramid style because the handle fades in really gradually (Which I'm thinking might be my problem, should I take some off and do a more bendy handle?) Any tillering suggestions would be appreciated!

[BOWMAN53]

hickory can handle it. general rule you might want to keep in mind is that you never want to pull the bow past its intending weight. your mid limbs need to bend more. dont touch the handle area

[George Tsoukalas]

You have a very large handle area that is not bending. Now is the time to fix it. Typically the bending starts at the end of the fade where the fade is widest. I usually have a 4 inch handle and 1-5 to 2 " fades. The wide part is evident at the top of the picture not so on the bottom. Anyway, I mark a nice dark pencil line there and want the bending to start at that spot.

Now with pyramid limbs you want the tiller to be circular. Most of the bending should happen where the limb is the widest.

Jawge

[(bow)Hunter]

Done a little more work on her, took advice from both suggestions and took some off the handle and thinned her out a bit... Putting in #41 at 10 inches... and after weighing at different intervals it's a little less than #3 per inch drawback. Let's say I'm shooting for 29 inches, that puts her at around #90 
What's the most I could put into this little hickory? I wouldn't mind a really high draw weight but #90 seems like it would break her...

Thoughts on the highest weight I should put on her?
And tillering suggestions are appreciated

[Crogacht]

Well, you have to make it at least 41 lb now

[(bow)Hunter]

^ hahaha yes but I don't believe that will be an issue
 - Hunter

[DarkSoul]

That's looking better already.
Where does the figure "#41 at 10 inches" come from? You're pulling it further than 10" in that picture with the string on it. I presume that is a long string, right? If so, I think it's time to brace her to a low braceheight of 2" or so. This bow is probably not as heavy as you think, and you may have very little room to correct the tiller without coming in below 40# at 29". What is the draw weight in that last picture on the tiller tree, drawn to that point? You are pulling it to 21" (although with a long string).

[(bow)Hunter]

Oh yes sorry about that! it's suuuuper long string, the string is just barely taunt at 11 inches on the tree. That last picture is at #41! You're probably right, I'm using caveman weight method of finding the total weight of bow/tree, then putting it on a bathroom scale and watching the reading as I pull down the string then subtracting how much the bow/tree weigh

[DarkSoul]

Then you should have said "41# at 21" with a long string."
That translates to approximately 43# at 21" with a regular short string. Or roughly 65# at 29". NOT NEARLY 90#!
Don't rush it now. Remove wood slowly with a fine file, sand paper and a scraper. Check weight and tiller often. You are in the phase where most beginner screw-ups happen...

[bubby]

I would get it to about a 3' brace height, get the tiller even and get back to us

[(bow)Hunter]

ohhhhh wow okay I had no idea that was the case! I'm a very straight-path math-oriented person so that's why I thought it would be following a pattern like that! Thank you for the information, I will absolutely get down to it right now!

[(bow)Hunter]

By the way, how do you get that figure #43 at 21"?? I would just like to know for future reference!

[(bow)Hunter]

And one more quick question - when bracing it should I go ahead and use the shooting string? or just a shorter length of the paracord I've been using to tiller? I finally figured out how to braid a flemish string and I've been itching to throw it on the bow!

[George Tsoukalas]

Much better. Is the bending starting where you want it to? Be careful on that right limb just off the fade looks like the makings of a hinge. I can't really tell for sure. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

That figure probably came from me. I long string tiller out to 10" of string travel and look to get 5# over target weight with good tiller. Then I string it. But I have a 26" draw.
 You can go to 11" with a 28" draw. The stave is too short for much else.
look closely at that place on the right limb. Don't string it if it is a hinge.
This is your first don't get too tied to hitting weight.
Jawge