Shooting a bow in

[Grunt]

Ok guys, how many arrows out of a bow before you consider it shot in? Fifty? A hundred? Two hundred? i want to get an overview.

[Josh]

at least a hundred for me  before I will go to the trouble of putting a finish on it.   

[half eye]

Grunt,
     I usually tiller my bows "under-tension"....whenI'm satisfied with the symetry I'll shoot about 30 arrows to see if the bow has a prefference to which limb it likes on top, then it gets the pitch and grease finish applied hot and rubbed in.(usually 3-4 coats) I'll stand it aside for a few hours then shoot it 30-50 more shots (depends on how much walkin back and forth I feel like doing). It will get two more coats of the grease and put in the house for a few days (maybe a week) I then recheck that the tiller is the same and go shoot it a bunch, never counted how many exactly but a couple of hours worth. Buff it down once more and call it a bow. Believe it or not, the bow will actually pic up a few pounds while it's settin in the house for that week, dont really know how come.
     Not very scientific but it works for me.
rich

[mullet]

 I don't shoot probably more than 50. But then I tiller my bows with a rope and pulley system so I excercise them till I'm wore out. To me this doese about the same. The only difference is the sudden stop.

Rich, My bows always pick up weight in the house. I have the A/C usually running 24/7 and that keeps the humidity controled.

[Josh]

Oh yeah I do like Eddie does, too. I exercise the CRAP outta the bow on the tree in between scrapings and then pull it to 28" a few hundred times before I shoot it in.  I would rather it blow up on the tillering tree than in my hand, LOL.   

[Pat B]

I like to put 100 arrows through a bow but don't always get to do that. I do exercise lots after wood removal and also sweat the bow as soon as I get it to a low brace and everything is OK. At first only for 15 to 30 minutes of sweating but more as I head toward full draw...up to 4 or 5 hours sometimes. By the time the bow is tillered to full draw it is already shot in and doesn't change much after that except for R/H differences.
  Also, I use primarily a scraper from floor tiller stage to full draw. I think using a scraper burnishes the wood below as you remove the top layer. Unlike a rasp that rips the wood fibers apart the compression action of the scraper helps strengthen the belly as if you burnished it with a burnishing tool.

[Gordon]

I used to heavily exercise my bows on the tiller tree between scraping sessions, but I've stopped that practice. The only thing that accomplishes is adding unnecessary set. Now I wait until after the bow is tillered before I beat the crap out of it.

[sailordad]

i exercise mine on the tiller tree,many many times during scraping sessions
if i take 50 scrapes from each limb,then it gets 100 pulls for excersize
i too only use a scraper once its floor tillered
plus once i get it to full draw it gets pulled couple hundred times before it sees an arrow
then i will put about 50 arrows thru it

[Grunt]

Good info guys. Thanks

[Pappy]

I usually tiller in 3 stages,first floor tiller to short brace.Then full brace to 15/18 inches and then on to full draw.I exercise in between scrapping 15 or 20 time, If the wood is well seasoned it won't usually change much.I will shoot it several times,[never really counted] Recheck everything and then finish it. It is usually humid in TN. so I am careful to keep it in a dry place
in between workings and try not to keep it out to long at a time. I think that causes more problems than a lot of people think.The wood will pick up moisture in a few hours outside where I do most of my work.[ Especially white wood.]I mostly use a scraper from floor tiller to finished bow but I do rasp some along the way,especially if I have a problem spot. I also measure the set it is taking as I move along,when it starts picking up set I slow down and give the wood a break. and me.
   Pappy

[George Tsoukalas]

I use a rope and pulley and the bows are pretty well broken in. I give it 20-30 short pulls after each scraping session and about a dozen pulls at 1 inch short of full draw. A couple dozen shots and then the finish. I tested a 51# osage bow after a year of heavy shooting and it was 50#. Not bad. Jawge

[Easternarcher]

I like to put 100 arrows through a bow but don't always get to do that. I do exercise lots after wood removal and also sweat the bow as soon as I get it to a low brace and everything is OK. At first only for 15 to 30 minutes of sweating but more as I head toward full draw...up to 4 or 5 hours sometimes. By the time the bow is tillered to full draw it is already shot in and doesn't change much after that except for R/H differences.
  Also, I use primarily a scraper from floor tiller stage to full draw. I think using a scraper burnishes the wood below as you remove the top layer. Unlike a rasp that rips the wood fibers apart the compression action of the scraper helps strengthen the belly as if you burnished it with a burnishing tool.

PAt, funny you should say that about the scraper, as I've seen the same effect sorta. I love my scrapers!

[Cacatch]

Pat, what do you mean by sweating?

CP

[artcher1]

I used to heavily exercise my bows on the tiller tree between scraping sessions, but I've stopped that practice. The only thing that accomplishes is adding unnecessary set. Now I wait until after the bow is tillered before I beat the crap out of it.

I think I like your method better Gordon  . ART

[Del the cat]

I used to think 'shooting in' was hog wash until an Ash flatbow moved big time on me after a couple of weeks. I try to count 100 through 'em now.
Just shows we never stop learning.. and pride comes before a fall
Del