Pike early or later

[n2everythg]

Thanks guys for the review and comments.
Perhaps the bow is closer than I thought. Still 'feels' wrong. But maybe that is just me and this piece of wood.
Maybe Y'all are right... u sure all are more experienced than this green horn.

Guess the reason I feel like this one is kicking my butt is cause seems like I have had to fight the wood all the way to get her to this point. And she still isnt spilling all her secrets to me. know what I mean?

But my question still stands... I am curious at what point cutting a bow down a bit is really piking and not just changing the design.
I'm not touching this bow. but I am curious to hear your opinions.
Once you have bent her X distance its gotta be piking and not just a design change......
Is it floor tillering? brace? later?

And if you are 1/2 to desired draw and shorten the bow.. even if it has no visible set yet - are you adversely affecting the performance of the end product? 

I know why someone would do it at the end... but what about before?
thanks
N2

[perry]

It's possible that shortening at a  late stage in the tillering process is going to adversly affect the bows performance if you exceed the target weight . In my veiw it boils down to your expetations of a particular bows performance , I've messed up plenty of bows that could have shot harder in similar circumstances to you and ended up with 10 pounds underweight or 2 inches or more of stringfollow and each and everyone of them has turned into a new favourite .

The old adage that if you do not exceed the final draw weight you will not have strained the limbs is correct , shorten her up in the tillering process before you reach target weight and the bow won't know any differant . Just obey this rule and you'll be right . Some bits of wood just are not 60# bows

regards Jacko

[Dano]

With a stave that requires alot of heat correction, I'll leave it long untill I get the string centered, and then cut the limbs to my desired length. I don't think there is a whole lot of effect on a bow that is half way through the tiller process, if you pike it. To me it's a waste of time to pike a bow half way through. Most of the time a guy will have to pike a bow in the end because he sanded too much, in this case he only needs to make a few pounds, not 10-20.

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

If I had extra wood I would always tiller my bows long, than pike them at the end, less stress on the wood during the tillering process.

[n2everythg]

Well I piked her. only about 2 inches. hoping to raise draw weight just a bit. didnt hardly change weight at all.
This bow has been a learning experience.
This was my second osage bow (first was kids) and I have got to say this stuff is awesome. Man it will take a beating. I now know why it seems to be most everyones favorite wood.
I have hammered this bow. probably did everything wrong. and she still wont break and hardly shows any set. I probably lost maybe 1.5 inches of original reflex and now she is flat.

I have her tillered out to 30 inches. the bow came in at about 46 lbs at 29 inches. I was hoping for 50 - 55. The bow is now 61 1/2" NTN.
Like I said it was a real learning experience. I havent narrowed the tips but have flung a  couple of arrows and it seems to have good cast and not much hand shock at all. hardly noticeable.

I cant really tell if I butchered the tiller or not. Looking for any comments and suggestions as I work to finish it off.
it looks stiff in the outer 2/3rds of the left limb but I think that is because it does a loop-d-loop upwards towards the back there.
I also think that it maybe bends just a bit too much close to the handle but there is no going back on that one.
I also wish I would have made the fades 2" instead of 2.5 but guess I will have to wait til the next one to correct that.
What do y'all think?
I think it is time to narrow the tips and finish her off and go shoot her.
thanks.
wade







thanks again.
wade

[Dano]

The bow looks great to me. When you say "Well I piked her. only about 2 inches. hoping to raise draw weight just a bit. didnt hardly change weight at all." Was that 2" in total length or 2" of each limb?

[Pat B]

Wade, You nailed it!!!        I told ya so!      Pat

[n2everythg]

thanks pat. Think she looks ok? I'm pretty happy with her all in all even though I didnt make weight. I still think it will be a fun little bow to shoot and well I wanted a shorter bow anyway. Be more fun stalkin'.....

Dano. that was 1" off each limb. I think I gained maybe 5 pounds total but I took it right back off making minor tiller adjustments.

Just thinned the tips a bit and shot a dozen or so arrows with it. It didnt seem to change the tiller or set any that I could tell. Maybe not enough arrows yet. Getting late so tomorrow I will thin the tips a bit more and maybe do some more shooting. 
night guys.
wade

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

WONDERFULL bow !...good job.


Hey you can gain some weigth by belly tempering too, ...again very nicely tillered

[radius]

yeah, why not try belly tempering with a heat gun and tell us how it goes?