Author Topic: How can I fix this  (Read 2256 times)

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Offline Bruce M

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How can I fix this
« on: March 17, 2024, 05:31:07 pm »
Working on this bow slowly working the tiller trying to keep uniform thickness from side to side of the bow, finally got it to a short brace and the string heavily favors one side going through the handle, about 1/2" off center as the limbs curve to that side when at brace.
The limbs look dead straight when not strung with just very little propeller twist on one limb.
I've been scraping off from the side that the string is leaning thinking that that is the strong side of the limb and releasing tension would result in the string moving towards the center but I have not seen any progress in that so far.
Before I go anymore and destroy what I thought was turning out to be my best tiller to date I'd like to ask the braintrust here on what you think I should do to get it back to center, or close anyway.
It's hickory and 66". I have access to steam and dry heat






[img]https://i.postimg.cc/HsR7xNCY/temp-Imagew-WPie8.avif/img]


Offline Muskyman

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2024, 06:35:21 pm »
Someone else will be positive about this but I think it’s just the opposite.. in that the weak side is where the string will pull to. Don’t go scraping the other side on what I say but I think that’s right.   
Definitely stop scraping on the side you’ve been scraping till someone with more knowledge than me tells you differently. If you think about it the weakest side will bend more and allow the string to move that way.

Offline Hamish

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2024, 07:14:55 pm »
Yes Muskey, you are correct. By removing wood from the weak side he is tillering the bow to bend more to that side, making the string more offset.

Bruce your bow still looks very good. Some people intentionally tiller their bows to bias the side that the arrow passes on. If the bow shoots well from its current alignment, keep it as it is(it probably will be okay, if you are right handed). If not your options are:  try stiffer arrows(or weaker arrows if you shoot left handed); cut your nocks on the weak side a little deeper to move the string to be more centered(only if you still have enough width at the tips); or tiller the strong side, until the string moves back to the centre(you will lose some draw weight).

Offline bassman211

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2024, 07:44:44 pm »
I have pulled both limbs to line with the riser with dry heat on the belly, and a small come along. Riser is locked in a vice.

Offline Bruce M

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2024, 07:51:17 pm »
Do I have the weak side and strong side backwards. To my thinking the strong side is the side that the string is running along and the weak side is the side that I want to move the sting towards.
For a little more pertinent info the bow is centered(equal limbs) so I can make the top or the bottom whatever I want. The brace height is also equal from limb to limb so no positive or neg tiller, I shoot three under off the knuckle with a glove.

here it is at rest;

Offline Pat B

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2024, 09:04:17 pm »
Shoot it. Less worries about arrow spine like shooting a center shot bow.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Muskyman

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2024, 09:20:02 pm »
Looking at your strung bow left side is the weak side. The side your string is favoring is the weak side. A lot of bows will favor one side or the other.. Ryan Gill decides what limb will be his top limb off the side the string favors.

Offline Hamish

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2024, 10:56:59 pm »
Bruce, Think about string corrections, like tillering a bow, except sideways. The side you remove wood on is the direction the limb and the string will bend towards. If you remove wood you are weakening that side.

Offline Kidder

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2024, 11:06:04 pm »
There is a sticky thread on limb twist in this section. Every time I deal with the issue I refer to it because it is so easy confuse the solution. But like Pat said, shoot it and don’t stress it too much.

Offline Pappy

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2024, 09:05:16 am »
Unless it is really off in limb thickness on one side I would just tweak the limbs over with dry heat,never had much luck thinning one side to make it move, just me I guess. ??? :-\  some want it favoring the arrow side but for me I want it right down the center, if it favors the arrow side I get a lot more arm slap so for mine I want them down the center.  :)
 Pappy
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Online Eric Krewson

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2024, 10:51:37 am »
I am with pappy, heat correct it, you can move the offending tip (what I would do first) or bend the handle.

Offline Bruce M

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2024, 10:08:00 am »
Thanks all for the replies and advice on which way to go.
I did do some scraping on the side of both limbs in the proper direction(20 scrapes on each limb). If it moved it was very little that I could hardly notice, all I am doing to it at this point is loosing weight.
I decided to put it up on the "works in progress" shelf to be resumed at a later date after I let it sit in my head for a while.
I pulled a different bow off of that same shelf that was left to let me to think on, so I'm going to flip the tips on that bow and probably get back to this one after that.
I will just do as others say and shoot it to see how it shoots but I think I am going to get a good amount of wrist slap. Bending the tips just seems to me that I'd be bending the tips out of center, where they are now, to off center tips in order to achieve a correction that, to me anyway, should be fixable with proper stock removal.
At this point I'm at 48# @28" and falling below my desired hunting weight so I think I'm going to continue on the stock removal evenly until I get the desired tiller and string path and to heck with the weight, I'll just make it a plinker bow but hopefully will learn how to do these corrections for the next one.
Thanks again all of you, great place for info and direction and I appreciate all of your input.

Offline Muskyman

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2024, 11:33:24 am »
You can bend it in the handle area. Steam it or use a heat gun. I prefer steam myself because I have a tendency to overheat with a heat gun. 2 -3 ft piece of downspout slid over the bow centered on the handle area. Steam it about a hour then bend it. Get everything ready to clamp into your jig before hand then clamp it.
Here is a picture from the traditional bowyers bible. Hopefully you can see it and read the text

Offline FVRago

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2024, 10:26:07 pm »
This is how I make most of my bows, string down the left past the middle line. I find that they shoot a variety of arrows just great. I see no problems.

Offline Bob Barnes

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Re: How can I fix this
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2024, 11:08:08 pm »
I have this posted on my tillering tree... it might help.  It is what I use when I don't want to heat /steam correct a bow...which is not very often these days... :)
« Last Edit: March 21, 2024, 11:17:07 pm by Bob Barnes »
Seems like common sense isn't very common any more...