Tillering for as much as I can get

[DC]

I'm working on my first and probably only warbow. I had to try it even though I'll never pull it. It's a nice piece of Yew that's only 70.75" NTN I've got it on the long string and I'm pulling it to about 10" of tip travel. It's at 120#. I hesitate to use draw length because I'm using a 550 paracord long string and it seems to stretch a little more every time I pull it. Anyway, when the draw weight is a question where do I go from here? If the tiller looks good to I just keep pulling? Since I'm at 10" tip travel should I brace it?

[FilipT]

550 is awful for tillering. I had original one (came with some papers) and it stretches like crazy. Tried to use it as a stringer and it was even worse as it was impossible to string bows above 70#. Your range of motion becomes higher and higher by the second and of course your arm cannot reach the bow at the end to put the string on.

So, bottom line, immediately use another tillering string, preferably from fast flight.

[JNystrom]

Would that be about 25" of draw on a long string? Hard to say cause i never measure tip movement. While it is true that if you want a heavy bow, brace it as soon as you can, at the same time some people (me for example) take this too serious and brace the bows when they are 150-170 pounds.
What kind of draw weight do you want? Can you compare some lower weight longbow with long string, to get a feeling in what poundage are is the warbow? I would try that, since its not really convenient or fun to brace a 150 pounder if you want 120 pounds.
You could also measure the mass of the stave and use Gardner's mass principle.

[Del the cat]

If the tips are coming back 10" it could be braced.
Then you'll get a better idea of tiller and draw weight.
As it's rather short I'd aim for a 28" draw rather than 32"
Del

[DC]

Thanks guys. I've figured out how to brace it so I should get that done this morning. It involves using a come-a-long across the room to pull on the tillering string. I didn't want to make a FF long string and only use it once. I don't have a target draw weight in mind. I'm trying to get all I can out of this stave. I can't pull much more than 45# so this is just a tillering exercise really. I'll take it to our gathering next year and see if anyone there can pull it. Thanks for the draw length recommendation Del, I was concerned about that. I was surprised when I couldn't find any suggestions of bow length/draw length for warbows. In fact I didn't see any mention of warbow length at all. Must have been looking in the wrong places.

[Del the cat]

Average length of Mary Rose bows was about 78"
Del

[DC]

Here it is. It was pulling 90#@20 on low brace a few weeks ago at our gathering. I tidied up a few tool marks and got it to full brace. It was bending a bit too much in the outer limbs so I took ten scrapes off the middle/handle. Still not enough so another eight scrapes. It looked not too bad so I took it to 28". 105#, I was expecting more, maybe 125 or so but I guess a few scrapes makes a big difference. My scraper does take a big bite(for a scraper). I was hoping the scale would show the weight in the picture but you'll have to trust me, it says around 105#

[Del the cat]

Nice ... It's V difficult to get 'em braced early enough, and if you don't they invariably come in under weight.
I'd be happy with that.
Much better to be a tad under weight but well tillered, than to have a heavy bow that will take set, loose weight or worse.
I'd say good job.
Del

[DC]

And just to show how useless this is for me here is the full draw photo. Honest, I'm pulling for all I'm worth

[penderbender]

That's awesome Don! 105# is enough haha I bet you could get a couple more inches. I really like the full draw too! We should find somewhere to do distance next year. Cheers- Brendan

[DC]

Do you think you can pull it?

[Pat B]

DC, you look like me trying to pull the 95#@28" yew war bow I built a few years back.
 Nice job on this bow though. 

[penderbender]

I little further than you i think. Not quite to 28 though. Maybe by then... Haha  nice job though. Cheers- Brendan

[Blayne]

Maybe you and I can both pull on that string Pender haha! I will give it a shot Don😁

[ohma2]

Ive got the same problem DC ,a bunch of bows i cant draw any more.