Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => HowTo's and Build-a-longs => Topic started by: TheDukesArchers on November 17, 2013, 01:23:26 pm
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So the Longbow I bought has a terrible tiller, despite being a very fine piece of wood. I had the opportunity to get a very good bowyer to re-tiller it, though it would prove too expensive as I am now getting another longbow/warbow from one of the very best bowyers in England. I'm going to have to do this tillering task myself. I don't have any photo's of it at 32 on the tiller yet, but here are some from the sellers advert. From what your trained eyes can see, what would you seek to do and what tools would you use? I personally think a cabinet scraper is needed over on the right as that limb is bending far more than that on the the left.
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I've marked what I feel is the problem area. Some thin layers of wood need to be removed?
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Need better pics but to me it looks like the lower half of the bottom limb needs some scraping
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It's tough to see in the photo at full draw but it looks like you are gripping it above the center. Try getting a photo at full draw in front of a neutral background and straight on. That said it does appear that the lower third of the lower limb is not bending as much. I'd leave the center section alone for now.
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The unbraced pic and the braced pic are reversed correct?
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Doesn't look too bad considering that the stiff section (bottom limb) is already deflexed. Knowing where this bow came from, I'd say you've been lucky - compared to some of their others it's not bad!
It's not the best bow to play with, considering you haven't made a bow yet and it's good to have backups. It will be a great strength training bow that could be ruined by the wrong procedures. If you're confident retillering a character limb on a heavy bow then go crazy :P
Who's making your new one? Gibbs, Coote, Stratton or Toy? Or none of the above?! I'm preparing my jealous face...
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If you don't actually make bows, or have tillered a good amount of bows, I'm telling you right now you are going to ruin that bow. My advice is just be happy with it. There's no way to tell what is actually going on in the photos you posted, as the draw picture is only about half drawn. So there is no way to tell what is really going on at full draw, which is what matters (along with taking the unbraced profile in mind as well). And although a lot of the time the tiller can be judged pretty close by the braced profile, this is not always so of course, and definitely shouldn't be tillered on that alone, you need to tiller a bow from how it draws and works. Especially with character bows, which is what you got right there. From the sheer amount of reflex, I would guess the bow has not been super stressed, any part that is working way too much would gain enough set most likely to show, although it is long + osage + might not of been drawn or shot in yet too much. If you could get a good full draw photo, at least 28" or so, or a couple, than maybe folks on here could give tiller advice. But then, I would advice just handing to someone who has tillered a good amount of bows that is trustworthy, and have them see what they think, and if they deem it necessary, then let them scrape it here or there, etc. Thats my 2 cents anyhow, Merry Christmas!
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What Toomany said. If you cant aford to pay then just shoot it until you get the experience and adjust to your liking then.