String grooves

[DC]

When do you cut the string grooves on a recurve? As soon as you brace it? After you've determined where the string wants to sit? Other?

[wizardgoat]

I generally add recurves when I’m fairly far along in the tiller.
Makes first brace a lot easier. I usually always tweak my recurves a bit
for alignment, and after I think everything is as close to perfect as I can get,
I’ll pretty much finish my tips then and tiller it out the last few inches.

[DC]

Thanks Goat, so you cut the grooves when you're doing the finish work?

[High-Desert]

I don't think there is a wrong method. I typically put my recurves in as soon as it's floored tillered and everything's is bending even, then I make sure tips are aligned, get to brace, then put in string grooves. Then finish tillering. I've never put recurves in while floor tillering, but it makes it a bit more difficult.

[DC]

I guess it's easier to check the alignment with out the grooves.

[leonwood]

I usually put my recurves in after I first braced the bow and finish the tiller with my temporary nocks (self nocks mostly). The final nocks come after tillering to full draw so that I can shoot the bow a bit and tweak the tiller and alignment when needed

[DC]

Everyone is saying when they recurve their bows. What I want to know is when you cut the string groove. The groove the string sits in on the recurve, not the nock.

[wizardgoat]

Thanks Goat, so you cut the grooves when you're doing the finish work?

No, I put them in when I’m satisfied everything is aligned as good as it can be, the bow is usually around 80-90% tillered at this point.  There’s no real right or wrong way of doing it I don’t think Don.
I just like to see the bow fully braced, then figure out how much of a groove it needs.

[Marc St Louis]

I find it's best to do that right at the end.  That way you can see where the string sits on the recurve and make any adjustments for tracking if needed

[ohma2]

Last thing i do before finish.

[DC]

Thanks guys. I can understand doing it last. No groove allows the string to find it's own position easier to show good/bad alignment. I was just wondering if anyone did it early to compensate for slight(very slight) misalignment.

[wizardgoat]

I like to fix any alignment issues with heat, not with nock or groove adjustments.

[DC]

Me too. I've even done laminated bows. It doesn't take a lot of heat. I've got a laser thermometer and I keep the temp below 200f.

PS-4 hours later. I was just out heat treating a bow with epoxied kerfed recurves. I guess I got a little too much heat on the recurves even though I wasn't heating within 6" of the kerf. Anyway the glued kerf let go a bit. So I retract my statement. Even though I've gotten away with it a few times it's not a good idea.