selfbow limb thickness

[Nesbo1482]

I was watching Gary Davis' video and he reduces his limbs by making a bevel, drawing a line down the sides and then reducing them down to thickness could someone explain this to me?  I'm a newbie and want to understand this more. Pics would be helpful.

Thank you

[George Tsoukalas]

I am sure that is just a starting  point when making a bow. Then he has to floor tiller. There are buildalongs on my site. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[John Scifres]

Not real sure what you are asking but for me, I like to get my osage selfbows down to a uniform thickness throughout the limbs.  Generally this is 1/2"-5/8" depending on bow style and weight desired.  But George is right, that is just a starting point.  From there you tiller (teach the wood to bend) and make sure it is bending evenly throughout the limbs and both upper and lower limb are bending the same.

The general rule for tillering is to leave alone those areas that are bending too much and to remove wood from the belly in those areas that aren't bending enough.

[frank bullitt]

Michael, this is similar to facetting the limb, as Dean Torges show and speaks of.

I was taught this by a good friend, when I started building bows. His foundation was instrument building.

Certain cutting tools are used for flat surfaces, and others for radius surfaces. You bevel the edge down to the line, then take the center ridge of the limb down. This keeps you from "loosing your way" so to speak in the reduction process. Maintaining a good line down the limb for floor tillering!

Gary knows his stuff! I have his dvd, it's great, but I have a feeling there will be another!

[Nesbo1482]

Thank you for the input. I will take it all in as I am still learning with no woodworking experience.