How do you "exercise" your selfbow?

[David Flanrey]

How do you exercise your selfbow while you are building it and why?  I am always looking for a better way.

[Pat B]

As I remove wood from the stave I put it on the tiller tree and pull the string repeatedly to get the limbs bending. Do not pull it beyond your targeted draw weight.   What this does is registers the wood removal with the stave.

[Black Mockingbird]

I put on some micheal jackson and groove to the beat..."just beat it,beat it....."

Seriously...pat covered it simply...on most woods ill pull it 30 times after each removal minimum. Also never pull past when you see a hinge or flat spot emerge regardless of what weight your intending. So if your intending 50lbs then never pull past 50,and if you pull to 30 n notice a hinge of flat spot,then stop and proceed no further untill that problem is solved. And each time you remove wood from those problem areas exercise it. Sometimes it might take a couple times of removal before it registers a change. But exercising will ensure that it makes a change after every removal of wood.

[Osagetree]

Mostly they "exercise" me!  

[David Flanrey]

Thanks guys!  This is what I am doing also.  It just scares the puddin out of me the further I draw the bow.  I am expecting it to blow at any time.  I guess because I have had several blow.  You don't forget that.

If there are no apparent problems and you want to get it to full draw do you lengthen your exercising out slowly?  Exercising then resting and so on?

[Roy from Pa]

I do 30 times to every inch till I get to the draw length I am shooting for.

[Art B]

I don't think I draw mine 30 times from brace height to full draw. I'm mostly reducing weight though. For me, the limb exercising starts while shooting in. By first applying a suitable taper, there won't be any hinges or flat spots to deal with, only weight reduction and maintaining the proper tiller.

[Pat B]

As long as both limbs bend evenly and together you can increase the bend but remember not to bend the bow past the intended draw weight.
 So, the limbs are bending evenly and together but you still have weight to loose, long even scrapes down both limbs is what you want to be doing. Do 10 scrapes on each limb, exercise it 20 to 30 times, check the tiller and do it again until the bow pulls the intended draw weight 2" below final draw weight. At this point shoot the bow 20 or 30 times and check the tiller again. If all is good give her a good sanding, shoot 60 or 70 times more, check tiller and finish.

[David Flanrey]

Thanks again!  Very useful advise.  It appears that patience is a must.  I think this is where I need the most work.  

[Pat B]

Patience is #1!!!

[George Tsoukalas]

Just to reinforce what Pat said. If I am trying to fix a problem area I remove small amounts of wood and exercise at short pulls 20 or so times.  Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

My site has info. Jawge
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[rainman]

I would say anyone that has built more than 30 bows has had at least 1 break, so you are in good company.

[Eric Krewson]

When I get to target weight at around 18-20 inches, I put the bow on the tree, pull it about 30 times then short draw shoot it about a dozen times between each scraping session.

It has been my experience that the snap of shooting a bow will register changes that just pulling does not reveal.

[tenbrook]

30 times between scraping seems to be the rule of thumb.

I also have been known to put the handle under my foot and while standing pull up on the string to exercise the bow.  Easier on the shoulders.

Hope this helps!

Tenbrook

[Art B]

Is that 30 times on the tree or drawing by hands? Big big difference between the two.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I would have agree with Eric, I exercise mine on the tree 25 to 30 pulls. When I get about 5 or six inches braced I shoot it a dozen or so times and the change shows up pretty good

[George Tsoukalas]

Art, I do both but at very small draws of around 10-14 in or less depending on the situation. Jawge