hazel primitive tiller advice needed

[stuckinthemud]

Evening everyone!

Here is the hazel primitive I was asking for help with earlier in the week.  I've  taken about 15# off but I have also lost the tiller along the way.  Any advice welcome, I've been staring at it for too long.  I am still over-weight and will heat treat it again so I think I am currently about 5# too heavy. Picture shows 24" draw

[Del the cat]

Which is the lower limb?
Del

[stuckinthemud]

The right one, but, they are the same length and I haven't finished carving the handle yet, so which is which is negotiable

[SLIMBOB]

I dont think that looks too bad myself.  Left limb on bottom.  Maybe you are seeing something not shown from this angle.  what does the unbraced and braced profile look like?

[stuckinthemud]

[SLIMBOB]

If you take a measure of the distance from string to bow belly (while braced), just outside the handle, both limbs, at the same spot on each limb, what are those two measurements?

[stuckinthemud]

Distance on the left is 158mm, on the right is 162mm on one edge, but 155mm and  162mm on the other due to a little heli twist in the stave

[SLIMBOB]

In round numbers that's a difference of around 3/10 of an inch positive tiller.  That is if I am converting mm to inches correctly, taking the average on the twisted limb and calling it 156.5mm.  That is probably a bit much and it could be brought down just a wee bit.  Maybe 2/10 or 1/8 inch.  Still, that is really close in my opinion.  If the straight edge says you have no hingey spots, I would shoot it and see what you have.  Adjust the strong limb a bit if you need to.

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks for all that input!

if the weather stays clear tomorrow I'll take it to the range and put a few arrows through it and see what happens

[FilipT]

What draw weight is currently at 24"?

[stuckinthemud]

Currently, weight at 24" is just over 40#

[BowEd]

Could be the way it is setting on your graph paper but looks like the inner third of your left limb is stiffer at full draw and your right limb is bending more on the outer third.Either way that could account for your right limb taking a squinch more set than your left at rest.As of the moment I think your left limb should be your bottom limb.Just what I see anyway.You could have a different view with it in front of you with the heli twist.It is pretty close and I think still with enough wood to get the draw weight you want.A little removal from the inner third of the left limb would even things up a little more like SLIMBOB said.When that heli twist or propeller is there I usually get it even looking tiller on one side and a little positive on the other side view.That's usually 1/8" to 1/16" positive tiller for me.Your bow at brace looks like the other way around yet though.It's just very close that's for sure.Measuring distance between the string and belly on the propellered limb should be at the middle of the belly to the string.I'm sure you know that though.
Not to make things difficult but I usually try to get that 1/8" positive tiller all along the limb measuring every 6" or so along the limb.Not just outside the fades.Shooting 50 arrows through it might reveal something for ya.

[SLIMBOB]

I think I would agree with pretty much all of that Ed. Your into fine tuning at this point. Lots of bows are called good enough at this point, and you can fine tune one into a 30 lb bow that still needs fine tuning. Don't do that. Just see what it feels like on the release and go from there. My guess is you will need to round out the stronger limb just a touch. I like it, and I admire the persistence you've shown with it.

[BowEd]

Yep I agree SLIMBOB....I've made that mistake before too overly fine tuning especially character ridden bows....lol.Shooting 500 arrows through it usually reveals something on the whitewoods....now osage can take longer.It's just that tough.Those propellered limbs are hard to see exactly right in a picture I guess,but it looks like a fine job on that hazel anyway.

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks guys, I worked some on the stronger limb and now it looks like this




I also heat-treated the bow to give it back some snap - string tension was not good - hopefully as it shoots in it'll pick up the pace - performance is only as good as my 35# hazel longbow at the moment, and the primitive is 10# heavier