Greenhorn question

[Arrowbuster]

Ok guys, I got my first selfbow about ready to start tillerring, heres my question. I want to put antler tips on it. Do I need to put these in place before I start tillerring?

[turtle]

No. While it doesn't hurt anything to put the on first I always wait  untill I have a bow shooting before I add tips. Reason why is because if the bow breaks or I decide to shorten it I haven't waisted extra time and material on it.

[Arrowbuster]

Here it is so far.

[DarkSoul]

Do you want to add tip overlays, or complete "English longbow style" horn(/antler) tips?
This does make a difference.

[Arrowbuster]

Just overlays. I just want the tips tough so I can use fast flight string if I want to. Plus I like how they look.

[Red Tailed Hawk]

No. While it doesn't hurt anything to put the on first I always wait  untill I have a bow shooting before I add tips. Reason why is because if the bow breaks or I decide to shorten it I haven't waisted extra time and material on it.

.   X2

[Arrowbuster]

So it wont hurt anything to file my notches in the wood, tiller, add tips then refile the antler?

[turtle]

Wont hurt a thing.

[DC]

Think it through first. Make sure that when you file the notches they are where the notches are going to be when you put you overlays on. I did one and put the "temp" notches too close to the end. When I put the overlays on I couldn't match up the notches. I had to shorten the bow an inch to get rid of the temp notches. No big deal but a waste of time.

[wizardgoat]

Make sure you file or sand any sharp edges when you cut your temporary string grooves.
Don't give your string the chance to catch and splinter

[KS51]

You don't have to use horn tips to use fast flight strings (they do look nice though).   If you pad the loops with extra strands of string material the string won't be so thin that it wants to cut into the nocks.  I typically just use a nice piece of dense, tight grain, wood for tip overlays like Cocabola or Chechen or Ipe then I make sure the loops are 14-16 strands while the main string is 8-10 strands.

Ken

[Del the cat]

No. While it doesn't hurt anything to put the on first I always wait  untill I have a bow shooting before I add tips. Reason why is because if the bow breaks or I decide to shorten it I haven't waisted extra time and material on it.

+1
Also you can leave the tips a bit wide to allow for adjustment until you are just about finished.
I usually put mine on when I'm a couple of inches short of full draw, just allows room for that final tweaking.
Del

[DarkSoul]

Myself, I do quite the opposite. I glue on tip overlays prior to tillering, but usually just after floor tillering. I find it a waste of time to shape the tip of the bow twice: the first time to make a temporary string groove, and the second time to make a definitive groove in the overlay as well. To add to that, it's likely that you rounded the corners for the temporary grooves. That means that gluing on the overlay is not going to be so neat, because the rounded corners and grooves create less surface area for the overlay. I just find it easier to glue on overlays on a flat, untouched surface of a bow tip which has not yet been shaped.

[Pat B]

Shaping the tips and handle area are the last thing I do. You don't need either finished while tillering.

[Pappy]

 Very Good advice above and also be sure to not file temp. nock groves across the back. 
 Pappy