Questions Please help!!!

[whitewoodshunter]

A bow I am working on is a maple sapling with about 5 inches of reflex The one limb it was natural but the other I steamed in. How do I go about tillering this bow? Also the stave has pithe in it which I scraped out. How will this effect the quality of the  bow? It was also pretty knotty so I backed it with 2 layers of fiberglass. The knotts I scraped out and filled them part way with super glue. Was this a wise thing to do? I am trying to make a character bow so the slits where the pithe was and the knots make it look pretty cool.

[whitewoodshunter]

A bow I am working on is a maple sapling with about 5 inches of reflex The one limb it was natural but the other I steamed in. How do I go about tillering this bow? Also the stave has pithe in it which I scraped out. How will this effect the quality of the  bow? It was also pretty knotty so I backed it with 2 layers of fiberglass. The knotts I scraped out and filled them part way with super glue. Was this a wise thing to do? I am trying to make a character bow so the slits where the pithe was and the knots make it look pretty cool.

[Dano]

So why did you use fiberglass is you wanted a charcter bow? You kinda defeated your purpose. Tillering is easy, help the bow bend slowly, remove the flat spots from the belly, execise the bow between wood removal.

[DanaM]

The fiberglass will most likely make it bullet proof As Dano said just get both limbs bending evenly

[snedeker]

Typically the way we would do a bow like that in this community would be to perhaps leave the knots and maybe back with silk. Having put fiber glass on it pretty much nullifies any chance of it being considered a character bow, or from generating much interest from the group at large.  Its a primitive board.   Welcome though and glad to see you.  Try one like I said some time, maybe with natural fiber backing or no backing.    The pithe wouldn't hurt it too much -- such a project, done primitive, is a fun type one, and you're not really expecting a screamer

Dave

[radius]

is it not a character bow, after adding f/g cloth to the back?  keeps the same shape, doesn't it?  fiberglass is modern sinew...

[Ryano]

Not the "F" word!  We don't use that word here. 
There are plenty of other "natural" material backings that would be more appropriate for the type of bow your making such as rawhide, sinew, or even linen or silk.
Radius, "FG" will not do the same thing as sinew, sinew is stretchy like a rubber band.  If anything it (FG) might over power the belly of the bow and make it take more set.

[sailordad]

i dont understand,  whats this thing you call fiberglass

is it a glass made from fibers,like a cordage cup maybe

                   
                                                                      tim

[whitewoodshunter]

I m currently working on a maple sapling bow backed with fiberglass.. It has about 5 inches of reflex. How do I go about tillering this bow
I have never tillered a bow with so much reflex.

[whitewoodshunter]

I don't understand you guys. This site is to help fellow bowyers right?Not to run them down?Are you trying to tell my that everyone here does every bow the primitive way with a piece of flint or chert? No, you use modern tools to make "primitive bows" and the tell me not to use fiberglass? Thats not right dues. I'll take my questions elsewhere!

[ThimoS]

 " fiberglass is modern sinew..."

WRONG!

[Justin Snyder]

Whitewoodshunter, nobody will tell you not to use FG. Lots of guys here make bows with FG, we just don't discuss it here.  There are a lot of bow sites on the internet with FG and only one that doesn't. You happen to have found the one that tries to avoid it.  I don't think you understood what Dano was trying to say. If you are backing a bow with FG why not start with a nice clean board. The beauty of a bow with a lot of knots is kind of hidden under the FG and would have looked nicer if you had built it without FG and put a pretty finish on it to show off the character.

Tiller the bow like any other bow, the steaming of the bow wont make a difference.  The super glue in the knots is a good thing.  Scraping the pith out needs done, but be carefull that you haven't compromised the area.  You might have to leave it a little stiff around some of the knots and pithy area.  Justin

[Ryano]

I m currently working on a maple sapling bow backed with fiberglass.. It has about 5 inches of reflex. How do I go about tillering this bow
I have never tillered a bow with so much reflex.

If its a ridged handled bow with a lot of reflex or recurve I like to start tillering by clamping the handle section in a vise and check the tiller of each limb by pulling back on the limb tip with my hand. Once you start to get it bending fairly evenly put it on your tillering rack clamped on with a C clamp and tiller with a long string like normal until you feel its bending evenly enough to brace it........

[Dano]

Justin's right, that's what I meant to say. Sorry I can't even spell tact.

[mullet]

  Why do I get the feeling that everytime this kind of thread pops up on here, same kind of question, just worded different, it's the same person or group of (person), people jerking our chains? It always starts the same debate, argument, and name calling with everybody on here. And the one that started it leaves in a huff never to be heard from again? When you check out their Profiles, it is always the same. They just registered, 3 to 5 post, everything hidden, and then "I don't like you guy's anymore, wah, wah."