Newbie Question: How do you decide what limb is the top one?

[Dante_F]

Pretty much what the title says, how do you differentiate the two limbs and is there any particular reason for one being the top/bottom limb.

[Dances with squirrels]

I usually give top limb preference to whichever has more character, or more reflex, or if the stave had a natural curve to the side and I straighten the bow for alignment, I try to make the arrow side of the bow the side the string layed on before I aligned it, just in case it tries to move back that way a little, it would be more tolerant of arrow spine, not less.

[Hamish]

The top limb is the one that points to the sky when you are holding it, unless its upside down
 
Good info from DWS.

 Which limb is the top also depends on the style of bow you make. Some people like  asymmetric limbs on bows, so you decide which limb will be top limb, and make it 1-2" longer in the layout.

Other people prefer symmetric limbs. In that case at some point during tillering you still need to decide which limb will be the top limb, because the way most people grip, and  draw the bow, the lower limb will be stressed more than the top limb. Some people leave this very late in the tillering process and draw the bow both up and down, I can't see any advantage to this, because you will be unnecessarily stressing the bow. For consistency and longevity you should always shoot a wood bow the same way.  You can get away with different methods of shooting and not stress a fibreglass bow eg stringwalking. I wouldn't do that with an all wood bow.

If its a stave bow many people will orient the bow like it grew on the tree, ie bottom of the trunk end for the bottom limb. I don't know if its true but the belief is the lower wood is stronger, the lower limb of a bow is under more stress, so that's the logic.

[Deerhunter21]

i make the bottom limb the one thats a little stiffer and the top limb the one thats a tiny bit weaker.  i believe its called a positive tiller... I draw my bowstring a little bit above the center, meaning im pulling on the top limb more. Allowing the weaker limb to be on the top makes it so my top limb is... lets say 45# at 26.25" and the bottom is 45# at 25.75".

did i explain that right? if im wrong, someone please correct me!

[bradsmith2010]

good advice from DWS

[George Tsoukalas]

Snaky or character limb goes on top. Deflexed limb goes on top. Reflexed limb goes on the bottom.

If the string is off center of the handle, I want it away from my shooting hand so it doesn't slap my forearm.

Jawge

[TimBo]

DWS, would you mind elaborating on the more recurved limb going on top?  I always thought it was the other way.  Jawge thinks the same thing, so I must not be completely crazy...

[bradsmith2010]

sometimes on a bow with slightly different limbs, I have noticed the way the tiller may shift,, and orientate the bow with what I think is the best limb up,, to keep stable,,

[Selfbowman]

If I’m trying to hit a certain weight sometimes I let the weak limb be the top. Try for even tiller though.

[Eric Krewson]

Back about a zillion years ago I made my bows with equal length limbs so if one went weak I would flip the bow and make it the top limb, in all honesty my tillering abilities weren't that great back then an my "top" limb may flip ends several times.

I mentioned this limb flipping as advice on the Stickbow site to newbies back when Dean Torges was on that site.

Old Dean posted that I was a disgrace to the "true art of bowmaking" for making bows that way.

I don't know if I was a disgrace but definitely had a lot to learn, I haven't flipped a bow in about 20 years now because of my improved tillering skills, perhaps old Dean was right after all.

This brings me to my next point, I feel it is better to tell it like it is in regards to someone's bow making than to heap on praise for a questionable job. Dean's criticism stuck with me and made me a better bow maker.

[Allyn T]

There is a difference between honest criticism and rude name calling though. No need to be a jerk to tell someone they could improve

[George Tsoukalas]

Eric, Greek people tend to let you know ow they feel. Yes, Dean was Greek.
Anyway, I did a lecture on hand planing arrow shafts at Mojam 2003. Dean was there and I was nervous. LOL.
I've done magic shows in from of 100s of people with a few butterflies but not as many as that day. LOL.
Dean was good for us.
May his memory be eternal.
Oh I've gone to equal length limbs now. LOL.
Jawge

[Eric Krewson]

I called and ordered one of his Bowyers Edge tools, Dean answered the phone, we had a nice conversation, he was pleasant and wanted to know about my weight routine for building my bow shooting strength.

[Dances with squirrels]

Dean made me a better bowyer, craftsman, bowhunter, and person with his devilishly calculated generosity, criticism, honesty, and praise, by giving me just enough info when I questioned him on something to encourage and intrigue me, but little enough to force me to learn my own lessons with my own effort because he knew they'd root better that way, but most of all by showing me some of what was possible. I'm eternally grateful, and I told him so the last time I talked to him.

I still make his homemade yogurt regularly. Going to start a batch in a few minutes actually. Easy. Recipe is on his site.

[George Tsoukalas]

Yes, the student has to be ready to assimilate what is presented.That's good teaching. The Dean knew that. Jawge