Author Topic: tillering a R/D bow  (Read 382 times)

Offline hunting badger

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tillering a R/D bow
« on: July 24, 2014, 04:52:00 PM »
I glued up a Torges style BBO R/D bow, 62 inches ntn, i'm finding it tricky to tiller, any words of wisdom before I go too fart would be appreciated.

Thanks, Ken

Offline Sam Harper

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Re: tillering a R/D bow
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2014, 05:36:00 PM »
Yes, it is a little tricky.  Just as with a straight bow, you want the whole limb to bend evenly.  That means each part does an equal amount of work.  But that means it won't LOOK even.  The deflexed part near the riser will look like it's bending too much, and the outter limb where the reflex part is will just straighten out.

Some people interpret this to mean the outter part is supposed to be stiff, and all the bending is supposed to happen in the inner limbs.  Then, they make the mistake of making the outter limbs not bend much at all, while the inner limbs do all the work.  Then their bow breaks, and they wonder why.

The opposite mistake, of course, is treating it as if it were straight and getting a nice D-shaped arc when you tiller it.  If that happens, it means your outter limbs are bending too much, and your inner limbs aren't doing their share of the work.

There's a couple of ways to get a feel for how it should look.  One way is to look at a reflex/deflex fiberglass bow and notice how it looks when it's unstung, when it's strung, and when it's pulled all the way back.

Another way is to just watch the limbs flexing from a distance so you can actually see the limbs bending in motion.  A tiller tree is good for that because you just stand away from it and pull a cord.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.

Offline Bowjunkie

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Re: tillering a R/D bow
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2014, 09:13:00 PM »
Very good description, Sam.

What is it, specifically, that you're having problems with? A certain spot, overall profile, or what?

This may not help much on THIS bow, but perhaps it may on the next one. On these bows, ground work is the key to a good, easy, predictable tillering process. Not unlike a glass bow, the closer you get the overall thickness AND thickness taper to final dimensions before you start, the better the shaping, tillering, and weight targeting will go... heck, they can dang near tiller themselves. Meaning, if the bamboo and belly core are meticulously thicknessed and tapered, the front profile is very accurate, and then following, all surfaces/facets are well proportioned including dips and handle, when first strung, the BOW will try to show YOU the profile it was 'designed to be'. So little will need done then, it's hard for even me to mess em up  :)

Offline hunting badger

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Re: tillering a R/D bow
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2014, 03:16:00 PM »
Thanks, Sam and Bowjunkie! I'm still in the floor tiller stage but I remember reading on the bow forum that they could be tricky so was asking for advice before and messed it up! I haven't try to put a long string on yet, but have done some scraping.

Offline AkDan

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Re: tillering a R/D bow
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2014, 12:32:00 AM »
hmm..thanks sam I have a bbo I've had set aside for awhile  Its close to finished tillered.  I did the D error and sort of knew it, but didn't know how to achieve what was 'right' so I forged on.

I'll try and post pics on my day off of where I'm at.  

How has your bow turned out HB?

Offline takefive

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Re: tillering a R/D bow
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2014, 03:58:00 AM »
Funny, I'm reworking one right now that I made awhile back.  I guessed wrong on the belly lam, made it too thin.  Glued a power lam and new handle on and hope to start retillering it tomorrow.  Hope yours turn out well.

I've reworked so many of my bows lately that I don't have time to start one from scratch anymore.    :rolleyes:
It's hard to make a wooden bow which isn't beautiful, even if it's ugly.
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Offline AkDan

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Re: tillering a R/D bow
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2014, 12:49:00 AM »
I need to get to my tiller tree so I can get pics.  maybe tomorrow evening I can move the saws around to get to it.  Garage is still quite the mess after a long summer.  

I think I'm going to pop in Deans video.

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