Elm recurve tiller check, please...R.I.P.

[jwillis]

Its a really cool looking bow. If this one doesn't come around I hope you are willing to try another one. Jim

[Marc St Louis]

Frank
If it's really humid then a couple days would be enough

[Ryano]

It looks to me like the upper limb is bending to much near the fade. Actually both limbs are in my opinion, but the top limb is worse. I'd get the mid to outer limbs bending some more or that bow is going to take quite a bit of set right off the fades if it hasn't already.  It would also help though if you showed a front profile of the limbs.... and a unstrung profile.

[medicinewheel]

Think you are right; the tips had moved from 4 inches in front to be in line with the back of the handle. I did not take a picture of the unstrung profile when I made that series, so now it's toasted and the tips are in front again. I'll take a front profile later today.
So I really think I should perform some more tillering.
In case I would lose to much draw weight, would it make sense to back it with a sinew layer or two, or would that cause even more set??

[Ryano]

You can always add sinew after it's fished to bump up the draw weight a little. I'd continue tillering and see what it comes out at first. You could always cut it a little shorter too for the draw length/weight your shooting for it should be ok.

[Ryano]

Here's a full draw picture of one of my all time favorite bows of that style. See how round the tiller shape of the limbs are right up to the base of the recurves. IMO this is the fulll draw shape you should be shooting for on this bow.

[medicinewheel]

Actually....that IS the tillershape I am shooting for!
Thanx Ryan!

[medicinewheel]

@Marc: My experience with toasted bellies (...and with bow building in general ...  ) is marginal; I'm totally surprised that my little bow now reaches 35# long before I'm at brace height. Is that normal, will that stay? - If so I could easily get a better arc and still have my desired weight.

@Gordon: It's the angle of the picture and a bit of a twist in the upper limb that makes it look as if tapering wrong way round.

[medicinewheel]

@Ryan: here is the front profile; further tapering on upper limb is limited due to a pin knot right on the edge where circled.

[Marc St Louis]

Heat-treating does wonders with Elm.  The limb profile looks good.  Ryan has a good tiller on his bow.  If you tiller yours the same then it will turn out good.  Here is another picture you can go by

[medicinewheel]

Exploded right through one of the pin knots on upper limb before I reached brace hight. To bad...

[Ryano]

That's to bad Frank. Did you let it rehydrate after heat treating it? Elm almost never fails in tension.

[medicinewheel]

I guess this particular pin knot suffered damage from the heating actually; looks as if the heat had crawled through there to the back of the bow.

PS: probably would have helped to wait a few days longer, too...

[Marc St Louis]

If you waited a couple days then that should have been enough.  I've started working a bow in as little as 1 day after tempering without any trouble.  Did this Elm have fine growth rings by chance?

[Pat B]

Too bad Frank.      That is my favorite style of recurve.