Floor tillering with a router

[DC]

Has anyone done this? I just turned 70 and the arthritis in my hands makes it tough to rasp for any length of times. It's only going to get worse. I hate the idea of using a router, they're so noisy, but a guys got to feed his addictions. I was thinking of a couple of pins set close to the router bit so it would sort of follow the shape of the stave but only take off 10 or 15 thou at a time so it wouldn't get away from you.

[Stick Bender]

 I dont know I have a stationary router and hand routers I dont think they would work well on any thing but flat surfaces dimentioned lumber etc I recently picked up a stationary belt sander that probably would work well for floor tiller I never tried it yet I was also thinking of making a jig guide for my band saw that would limit taking wood off more then a couple thousands there is some around here that use there belt sander all the to tiller there is probably a ton of ways to creativly take wood off with power tools but Im to much of a chicken worring about ruining a nice srave

[bradsmith2010]

dont tell anyone I said this, but the band saw will work for floor tillering,,
if you pull the stave back across the blade at a 45 angle,, it will take of small amounts of wood,,

[Stick Bender]

I have used the band saw before as a power rasp before but things can go south in a hurry makes me nervious back draging dulls your blades quick but works I would like to get a spindle sander and try that.

[sleek]

I think tjey make rasp blades for bandsaws. And i use a table top belt sander often for tillering.  Get 80 or 60 grit ceramic paper belts. Hogs off material in a hurry. Wear a dust mask.

[bradsmith2010]

yes one slip and you done tillering,,

[George Tsoukalas]

Routers and skill saws are made for dimension lumber only.
Any there uses are at one's own peril.
JMO.
Jawge

[DC]

Thanks for the tips. I hesitate to use my belt sander because of all the dust and I don't have a vacuum system. It's mostly Ocean Spray that's causing problems at the moment because it's so dense. The bandsaw idea may work as it produces less fine dust than a sander. I'll take a couple of passes on the bow I'm working on and see.

I'm back. Thanks Brad, that works. Two passes on each limb equals about 1/4" of draw length for the same draw weight. It's rough but even. I'll scrape it now and see how much I get once it's smooth. The bandsaw it no where near as noisy as a router would have been. We'll see how long a blade lasts. I won't jump into it right away but it's nice to know there is a better option than a screaming router.

Sleek, I couldn't find bandsaw rasp blades but I did hit a site where a guy taped together  sections of a broken bandsaw blade to use as a rasp. Much like a Shinto but with no offset. Looked like it would work well.

edit changed Eric to Brad

[willie]

I frequently use a beltsander, clamped upside down upside down on the workbench top or in the vice

I have a shim I place under the sander "table" so it is bowed up instead of flat. I prefer 36 grit belts. makes more shavings than dust even less dust than the band saw.

[Bob W.]

X2 on the belt sander, I have to try that shim Willie!

[mikekeswick]

The router is a no no.
As mentioned a bandsaw will do though. The key is a course, wide balde. 3 tpi and as wide as your machine will take. Get a blade for cutting green wood with a large offset to the teeth. Also google - powerfiles. Unfortuantely you won't get around the dust problem when using these methods, one of the best things I ever bought was my big extractor.

[Stick Bender]

Thanks for the power file suggestion Mike I just ordered one to try & thanks DC for the topic  I'm a decade behind you but have the hand arthritis issue also I have a dust collector also but haven't made a fitting for my belt sander yet and my lungs are killing me when I use it with out, I also was playing with a idea this week end , made a abrasive table of sorts using a peace of granite & glued 36 grit sand paper to it and holding the bow & rubbing the belly on it very controllable & quick going to try one in 80 grit to. Going to try it for flatting horn also  Not power but easy on the hands !

[DC]

I made one with an old Volkswagen window from back when windows were flat. Never thought of using it for tillering.

[Hamish]

 About 10 years ago there was a guy with a promo dvd, selling plans  for a router jig, that would rough out pre tillered bows, from dimensional lumber like oak, ash and hickory. He would string and shoot them supposedly straight off the jig(he might have exercised them first on a tiller tree), no adjustments needed after the router.

His bows looked pretty well tillered, low set too. I quizzed him about a few potential issues, and said on a forum that I didn't know if it was the right system for me, because it would take all the skill out of the process.The phrase "its a bit like using dynamite for fishing" was used by me. It wasn't meant as a criticism of his idea, more about whether it suited my personal bowmaking philosophy. Unfortunately he took offense and I haven't heard or seen any more about it since. Quite a shame because I think he was onto something interesting. Even if it might not deliver perfect results every time, it would at the very least serve as a useful method for roughing out a floor tillered bow ready for further tweaking.

[bubby]

Jon tillers with a belt sander if i am not mistaken