Help me work this stave please.

[JWMALONE]

Just getting ready to post Pat. 1.5 brace #55@18 so its #75? String tracks great so far been wathiching for that stuff. But it being so heavy still should I work off a lil more weight or go ahead and heat the tips?

[Badger]

   You are probably closer to 90# right now. Too heavy to brace. I would bring it to about 55# at 23" on the long string before heating it or bracing it anymore. It reads about the same weight on the long string as it does braced if the long string only hangs down a few inches. It will also gain some weight when you reflex the limbs.

[JWMALONE]

Thanks Badger, I was thinking it was still awful stiff to brace any higher. I will just keep removing weight and check tiller.

[Badger]

  Jw, something I started doing a few years ago that is just a subtle difference. Instead of removing weight I just keep perfecting the tiller, the weight will come off rapidly doing this. Another important thing at this stage is to monitor the condition of your wood very closely. You are pulling it to 55# your target weight every time on the tree. As it starts pulling further and further watch for the limbs starting to take set. They usually won't start taking set until braced but it is still good to keep a close eye on this. If it starts taking set you are probably at your max draw weight for the bow or slightly over. A little set is normal but maybe set your goal for no more than 1". If slight set is taking place over the entire limb the bow might be a tad too heavy, if it starts taking set in one place them get the other places moving more and leave that place alone.

[JWMALONE]

Hello Guys and Gals. Well I had other things to do today but I have scraped it down to #55@19 inches. I'm only pulling to 18 in the pic. Its still only braced at 1.5 inches. Its starting to take a tad bit of set not much ill add a pic when I go back out. Its like badger mentioned, slight set evenly distributed over the entire length of the limbs. Looks good on the tree but the light or something in that area doesn't take good pics, plus I didn't want to leave pulled that long. What do ya think? Take more weight #55@ 20 something then heat?
Pat, I got that book in the mail today. Really nice reference book, I even found a hard cover autographed by Hamm and Allely for $28, ill keep looking for some of those others.
 

[Pat B]

John, looks like you could get the outer limbs bending a bit more. That would help relieve the stresses on the mid limb sections.
 You'll like the book. Not much reading but lots of pics and measurements...and ideas for future bows.

[JWMALONE]

Gotcha Pat, I've got to start collecting staves. If I build all the bows I like in this book, I will be able to whoop ass up and down both sides of the little Bighorn. Just gotta find a few thousand Braves.
The bow is bending nice and even, I've been removing wood mostly mid limb and out.

[JWMALONE]

Well I got it worked down to #55@25 inches, if I don't get the d-bow tiller correct now I'm afraid i wont make weight. Been staring at the pic on page 96 TBB vol4. How does it look.

[TimBo]

Looks pretty good - you should post a picture of yourself drawing it.  If that gives a different look, you still have a bit of room to tweak.

[Pat B]

John, put a few arrows through her at 25" draw.  She's looking good though.
 Drawing by hand does give a different effect than the static tree draw.
 You'll gain a few pounds by tempering the belly and kicking up the tips.

[k-hat]

Lookin real good there jdub! Like Pat said, good time to temper n flip tips.  Depending on how deep u temper, you'll see as much as 5-10# increase, esp if you add reflex with the temper.  Looking forward to seeing her finished!

[JWMALONE]

Thanks guys. Pat i got a few arrows through it before it got dark. Seems to shoot pretty good only half draw. I got the tips flipped and heated it good this time, not to put char marks in it but i think I got it good. I did some last night. through all the scraping and tillering I done today it kept 75%. I went back over it just to get the heat down in there. I read one of your post about letting it rehydrate for a couple days then others said they used oil so on and so forth. I oiled it like i did the last one and its still shooting great no issues, might have 800 through it so far. Its coming along great i think.

[burchett.donald]

  Looks even JW...Do you plan on leaving the handle stiff or bend in the handle...Looking forward to seeing the flipped tip profiles...
                                      Don

[JWMALONE]

Don I want to do a bend in the handle. Never done one so I haven't done much in the handle area. Its 13/16 thick just like the one in the TBB, but that was not intentional its just were it ended up. Lots of people told me they ruined their first attempt at a bendy by taking to much off the handle area in the beginning. So I left it thick, was told I could do that later.

[burchett.donald]

  JW,
          That's correct, you can get the handle bending later in the game but it will remove weight rather quickly...It may be fine as is and could start to move at full draw perfectly, depending on your final weight..
                                                                                                                                         Don