Hickory bow help please:: TILLER CRITIQUE PLEASE!

[horatio1226]

Decided I have been putting off making my own hickory bow for way too long. I started today and here is what I have so far. 64", 4" handle with 1-1/2" fades, 1-3/8 wide limbs to midpoint tapering to 1/2". The limbs taper from just under 3/4" out to 3/8" at tips. The bow is just barely starting to flex on the floor. A couple questions for the experts please.

Is 47# at 27" too enthusiastic for these dimensions in the hands of a beginner?

Would you recommend adding some reflex using a caul board?

How about flipping the tips a little using steam?

I really appreciate any help and welcome all criticism. Thanks for any help!

[horatio1226]

More pics. Having trouble posting them from my phone

[burchett.donald]

  I think I see cambium in the last picture. Is this a stave bow or board? You should have no problems reaching that weight at 27 with those dimensions.

[horatio1226]

It's a stave.

[bubby]

I think you will be o.k. with those dim. but keep it simple and make a flat bow, don't worry about reflex or flipping the tips, get some wood on the ground before you try all that, and take what #'s it gives you, you can heat treat it hick loves dry heat

[BowEd]

You can take this with a grain of salt but you are already plenty narrow at that length for the poundage you want.I like to start out a little wider.It is totally possible though I'm not saying that.It's just that it might need to be made thicker.With osage that's ok but not hickory.
First make sure that sucker is dry.Get a good floor tiller on it balancing the limbs.I would flip the last 4 to 5 inches maybe an inch and a half[steam] leaving them 3/4" wide 5/8" thick.I'd let the tips cool and dry then give them a little tempering with the heat gun clamped to the bending form.Then the belly I'm pretty sure will need to be heat treated and you could give that a good 1and1/2" reflex overall too.From there it's just a matter of getting it on the long string to the short string.
Personally putting it just to brace first to check string alignment would'nt hurt either then do all of your bending etc.

[BowEd]

Sorry I did'nt know exactly what your level of making a bow is.But what I stated is what's possible though.Maybe just getting a shooting bow first is a better idea.No matter what the poundage.

[Joec123able]

Your handle is alittle smaller and fades alittle shorter then I would have but should be fine but for a first bow it's very likely you will end up with a bow lighter then you want

[horatio1226]

Thanks for the help so far. This is one of my practice staves. If it comes out a little light, I'll give it to my wife.

[bubby]

 

Thanks for the help so far. This is one of my practice staves. If it comes out a little light, I'll give it to my wife.

that's a great idea, the handle fade is what I make mine and I have pretty big paws, like isaid take the #'s the bow will give you, like beadman said it is a little narrower than i'd have made it

[horatio1226]

Yeah, I really wanted to keep the width at about 1-3/4, but when I split the tree, I didn't take into consideration the angle of the stave wedge. Got a little greedy I guess.

[blackhawk]

Is it a lil on the too narrow side..yes.....but hey...its your first time...just worry about keeping it dry,and put most of your focus on tillering...try to adhere to the basic rules of tillering and work on developing your eye for tiller...if its a straight profile stave make yourself a tiller gizmo...it'll help you see what you otherwise might not see yet....

[Pappy]

Looks very good for a start,handles are just what I do on most,and yes it is a little narrow but you should get in the 40's if like you have been told,keep it dry,very important in all wood but especially Hickory.Depending on what you want to do on your first with a little heat treating and adding some reflex you could probably get more weight than that. Just making as is is a good idea so you can get some practice tillering and get the feel for what you are doing then get a little more involved in the next one.
   Pappy

[horatio1226]

Okay,got her bending. The tip on the right has a flat spot.Any thoughts? When should I put her on a shorter string? Thanks again for the help.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Id brace it right now at 3" and look again. It changes. Your dang close now.