[Tillering Finished!!!] Well, here goes nothing! (First build)

[hobbyaccumulator]

@DC Sam Harper's guide seems to have a small groove on the back, at least nearing the edges (from here).

I'm not sure what you mean by "slip in between the grain", do you mean it slips down the grain and splits the wood? wouldn't that be a major fracture?

If i only have side grooves and no back groove would the string be prone to slip? Or do you mean to do something more major side grooves like this? Wouldn't this also "slip in between the grain" (if that means what i think it does).

Just as a reference can anyone tell me how much wood i need to leave if cutting a back groove?

Also if i cut only side grooves then i would have to decide the angle instead of having the string decide the angle based on how it lays after tillering. But i suppose that's just a trade-off for not being able to cut a back groove.

[DC]

@DC Sam Harper's guide seems to have a small groove on the back, at least nearing the edges (from here).

Those are side nocks, notice the the yellow stuff is not interupted. IMO he's treading on dangerous ground there.

I'm not sure what you mean by "slip in between the grain", do you mean it slips down the grain and splits the wood? wouldn't that be a major fracture?

Yes and yes

If i only have side grooves and no back groove would the string be prone to slip?

No the string won't slip.
 

Or do you mean to do something more major side grooves like this? Wouldn't this also "slip in between the grain" (if that means what i think it does).

Now here you might have me. On stave bows the growth rings go across the bow so the string is across them. But you're making a board bow and I don't know whether it's quarter sawn or not

Just as a reference can anyone tell me how much wood i need to leave if cutting a back groove?

Just the diameter of the string is enough but most people make them a bit deeper

Also if i cut only side grooves then i would have to decide the angle instead of having the string decide the angle based on how it lays after tillering. But i suppose that's just a trade-off for not being able to cut a back groove.

Yup

[Eric Krewson]

Just the side nocks unless you glue a tip over lay on.

Sometimes we offer advanced solutions and take it for granted that you know what we are talking about and forget how little we all knew when we first started out. Sorry to be so confusing.

It sounds to me like you got ahead of yourself on your bow lay out and thinned your limbs too much too soon.

[hobbyaccumulator]

@DC and @Eric Krewson thanks so much for the info!

I did get ahead of myself and definitely took off too much wood. I was worried that it was going to be even too stiff to tiller on the long string but i am realizing now that even ultra-stiff bows can probably take *some* tillering on the long string. Next bow i make i will definitely tiller on the long string with a lot more wood on the bow. I'm learning so much from this experience

Side nocks it is! Once again thanks to everyone; this community is amazing. I wont be able to work on the bow at all until next week but i'm super excited to begin the tillering process (i still need to shape the riser and and smoothly transition it into the handle).

[hobbyaccumulator]

Hello everyone!

Had a lovely vacation this weekend and i'm off work today so i got a chance to sit down with the bow and rough out the riser.

Here are some pictures of the riser roughed out with the curved slope. It was a little difficult for me to get the slope correct without taking off some wood where it meets the belly so if you look closely at the close up picture (picture 2) you will see it slightly divot into the belly where the slope meets the belly and then comes out again, i can smooth this over when i tiller or i can leave it; not sure how much of an issue it will really be.

Now i'm wondering if i need to back this, and if so where i get the material to back it with. I heard linen is good but i'm not sure where to get cheap sheets of pure linen (online is preferred). Sam Harper uses sheetrock/drywall tape but that stuff is ugly as all hell (Fiberglass mesh grid, bleh).

So what do you guys think? I don't want to risk my bow breaking if i don't back it but i'm not sure what to back it with and where to get the material. I got loads of tightbond II to spare since i got a 16oz bottle and all i used it for is the riser so far. Once i get a backing on (or no backing if you guys don't think it's worth it) i will cut the nocks and start tillering!

[Eric Krewson]

Don't worry about the little divots, you have way more wood in that area than you need and will be thinning that area down to get some movement out of your fades. To prevent the same in the future work your file from the limb up the handle instead of from the handle down.

[hobbyaccumulator]

@Eric Krewson Great, i'm glad that that'll work out. just from hand bending the limbs a bit i definitely think the tips move too much compared to the limb area near the handle.

As far as backing goes what do you all suggest? Should this be linen backed? and whats a good source for 100% linen?

[jaxenro]

What about rawhide?

[hobbyaccumulator]

@jaxenro i'm fine with whatever as long as its cheapish, easy for me to get, and easy to apply to the back (preferably just tightbond II and slap it on). As this is my first time i am just looking for a simple solution (thats not as ugly as sheetrock tape).

[hobbyaccumulator]

I was thinking something simple along the lines like this linen on amazon; will it work?

Also i haven't rounded the ends of the back yet because i wanted to ask if i should round the back before or after applying the linen backing? If it's after then i'll have to rasp the corner with linen on it, if it's before then i'll need to know how far around the edge to glue the linen on? Should it stop on the round part or continue to the sides of the limb?

If i put the backing on before i shape the riser (wanted to round the back more where the riser is and maybe make an arrow rest), wouldnt it make shaping it difficult? Do people typically shape their riser and round the back completely before backing?

[loon]

I will give hemp twine a try for backing. Got an idea of a bamboo 36" bow backed with hemp... if I'm still alive after finals

Maybe this kind of heretic fiberglass filament tape? https://i.imgur.com/gvdQCpP.jpg

[Pat B]

The cheapest backing you can use is brown grocery bag paper. It is free and glues down well with TB glue. The fg tape might work but it is sure ugly. With the paper backing you can paint a design on the back using craft paint.

[hobbyaccumulator]

These are all great suggestions, but i still am unsure when to back it. Do i fully round everything off and shape the riser so its conformtable and then back it once i do not need to take any more wood off the back/sides? Or do i back it and then shape everything to fit with the backing now on it, meaning i have to shave off backing now?

Or am i a crazy person who is way overthinking this and i just need to put a dang backing on.

[Pat B]

You can back it anytime. Round off the back edges(could have been done already) and glue the backing down. Even if you haven't shaped the handle you can wait until the tillering is done to do so.
You shouldn't be taking any more off the back if you have already started tillering.

[hobbyaccumulator]

Thanks so much Pat, I'll back it with 100% linen because the burlap looks nice and also can be painted. Then I'll cut nocks and start tillering probably next week! Can't wait!