Hitting draw weight and length- How do you do it ?

[Flinttim]

Thought this one would help some of the new guys to bowyery. I have done it several ways at one time or another.We know that rasping and final sanding will kill a few pounds as well as shooting it in. What to do, what to do ? The most common I've used are:


1) Tiller to within 1" of length @ the desired  weight and shoot it in . Usually it will come at about what I want in weight at the length I want.


2) Tiller it to  desired length at about 5 # over target. Sanding and shooting in will usually bring it close to weight @ length.

3) Go for all the marbles at once- weight and length and hope for the best when it is sanded and finished . ( yea I know, kinda bush league but we've all done it.)

What say you ?

 Also, how many leave the bow braced for extended period during the tillering to "sweat off" a few pounds ?

[Chris Wilson]

I'll usually leave it a little heavy at a give draw length; 5 pounds or so.  Then shoot it in and do final sanding.  It usually comes in pretty close to final desired weight.

[Huntrdfk]

Thanks Tim.

I have just begun to get into making my own bow, I have one made for my son, and almost had a red oak board finished when it blew up two inches short of my draw length. It was my first try, so back to trying it again. I was following Ferret's instructions, including stopping an inch short and leaving it braced for awhile, everything looked pretty good to me, it just blew up.  These posts are great for guys like me.

David

[George Tsoukalas]

Depends on the challenge the stave provides. The ideal is to get the limbs bending well early on, I always draw it to no more than 5# over target and reduce weight to draw length while increasing the brace to fletch clearing distance just as it approaches full draw. For a challenging reflexed deflexed knotted stave it's usually a cautious, fly by the seat of my pants, pell mell dash complete with an adrenalin rush when the magic number is eached. Uncork the Ouzo baby!
 http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni

[Flinttim]

I'm with ya' Jawge ! I'm doing a BBO for a friend and it's been a bit of a challenge. I got a bit of "wind" in one limb from the glue up (note to newbies and oldies-alternate the clamps from side to side to prevent this- brain farts tend to cause you to forget some things). Finally figured it out- I could take the wind out of it by removing a bit more wood from one side of the limb than the other. Anyhoo , she's coming home now. Looking for 50 @ 28 and she's at 50 @ 25 right now. Right now, 10 scrapes on each limb is giving me one inch of draw at 50 #. I want this one to be dead to nuts 50 @ 28 so I think I'll quit at 55 at 28. I tend to keep the final shape and form constantly evolving as I go so that I'm real close when done. In the morning I'll rasp off the sharp edges from scraping and then take 'er home to weight and draw. All that will be left is some sanding.

 The caveat of course is "if she don't blow first " ! LOL.

[John Nail]

I've made the last couple of bows about 2" longer than I wanted, tillered to weight, and then cut them off after broken in. A cheap way to gain final poundage. It probably isn't Koscher, but it works.

[Flinttim]

Uh, Hmmm !  I'll break you from that nasty lil' habit John.

[cjones]

The way i was shown, is to leave it 5#'s heavy at the desired draw length. Seems to end up right where i want em after sanding and shooting in. But then again i'm not sure if my teacher has even built a bow before. Anybody ever heard of that Ferret guy??    


Chad

[Matt E]

I do the five pound over thing.  I am to old to change now and "what the heck" it works great:)        Take care all.

[Stick & String]

do BBO lose weight after being shot in?  About how many before it settles down, 50, 100, 500?

S&S

[T-Bell]

Lie to yourself Right from the start and tell yourself that you want the bow to come in 5 lbs heaver than you really want. Tiller to the weight that you lied to yourself about, Shootin, sand and finish - Wala Bow comes in about 5lbs under weight and you are happy.    

   Disclaimer: I did this only once but forgot step 1 (did not lie to myself) and the bow came in about 5 lbs under weight  :rolleyes:  But a good shooter anyhow   :D  

T-Bell

[Dano]

Chad, I think I've seen the guy, kinda short with, little to no hair. Usually has a realy foxy lady at his side, nice lady too BTW. I heard he knew something about wooden bows.  :D

[George Tsoukalas]

LOL, John. I used to make'em like that too. BTW my aim is to stop 5# over but shall we say that he best laid plans of mice and bowyers...
Jawge

[Ray]

I like the idea of stopping at 27 and shooting in to reach 28.I'LL try on my next bow.
 Someone once told me I could never shoot a self bow because I HOLD to long.Probably does put a little set in my bows.Stopping short could prolong a little zip(maybe).Thanks Ray

[cjones]

Dano, Yeah that sounds like him. I still wonder how he got such a beautiful wife. She must be in it for the bows!    And to think that not many years ago he used to have real long hair and look a lil like a hippy.


Chad

[Tom Leemans]

Tim - My bows always come in spot on. I just sometimes cut the tips off because I later decide I want a shorter bow.  

[Stick & String]

Do BBO lose weight after being shot in like a full blooded selfbow? About how many before it settles down, 50, 100, 500?

[cjones]

Stick & String, My best guess would be right around 100 shots. If shoot 100 arrows then sand and apply a finish, I doubt there will be much if any loss after.

[Tedd]

I try for about 3-4 lbs over at my draw, but I worked slowly to it and corrected most problems and have a good tiller by then, When I draw the last inch or so, it us usually without any corrections. I never exceed the intended draw weight till that last inch. Staying right at it most of the time.
That is the plan. But latley... maybe it is me, but it seems the wood determines what it wants to be, the last one just did not seem to want to be a high draw weight bow, it finished at 47lb@29" and is my best bow to date. Sort of let it be the boss. Maybe that is wrong? Maybe I should be the boss? Maybe I got lazy?
Sure is fun makin bows, Got to thank my buddy for getting me started.  Thanks, Scott. Tedd