When is it safe to brace a bow(pics added)

[Pat B]

A long string will give a false reading that why you want to get to a shorter string ASAP or start with one just slightly longer than the bow.
 When working a bendy handle bow I leave the handle area stiff until the rest of the limb is bending well then, and only then would I work the bend back into the handle area. I like to feel the handle bending only as I reach full draw. That way you are assured the handle won't end too much. The handle area and fades get most of the stress due to the leverage of the limbs.

[George Tsoukalas]

Before I brace, the limbs have to be bending properly with a good tiller and the potential finished weight has to be no more than 15# over.

How do I determine that?

I use the long string; the length of which is not that important to me but is about 10" longer for a bow 62-66" long. For a bow that size I look for 10" of string travel and 5# over draw weight.

Then I string it.

For a 48" bow, I'd set up a proportion and look to get around 7" of string travel and 5# over draw weight. This is meant to be an estimate.

Here is the proportion I used. 66/10=48/x
Here is my site.
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html
Jawge

[bradsmith2010]

ok its not that complicated,,,,,, just dont take any wood off the handle area,,, then even the tiller the best you can with your level of experience,,, you have to bow braced,, it is not broke,,, it may not turn out perfect,,, just see what you can do,,, learn from that,,,, just dont draw the bow much till you get the limbs working a bit more,,,, you can do it,,,

[randman]

You got it braced and it doesn't look too bad...right limb in pic is a little weaker than the left so it's bending a bit more...needs more off of the left to even it (before you pull it at all)....stay away from the center and only remove from the outer 2/3 of the limbs for a bit until the tips come around more..... edge thickness taper doesn't look too bad from what I can see in the pic. Go slowly at this point and you got this....continue on

[BarredOwl]

I think I have it bending better in the limbs now but still thinking it may be bending a little too much in the handle for no further than it is being drawn.  Tiller stick pic is at about 14.5".  It is weighing about 22lbs at that length.   It is starting to follow the string about an inch after unstringing.    I have scraped through all of the darkening from heat treating.  Should I have heat treated again before pulling it?

I wonder if the set back in the handle of some of the plains bows was a remedy for excessive string follow?