Tip lean

[Watsonjay]

Hey guys,  new bowyer here made a couple longbows now but haven’t had this much trouble. I overbuilt a bow and tried trapping back, belly, narrow limbs just to get it down to reasonable weight now tips both lean one way. Reading all the limb lean posts on here just confused me more. Both tips point to one side. Ive tried filing them into the opposite direction of lean to no avail.

[Mad Max]

Longbow?

Need a better picture before anyone can say.

[Watsonjay]

It all there just have to slide pic left and right

[Watsonjay]

This is where I have it now. It is pretty much the last 5 inches of the tip pulling right.

[Watsonjay]

I’ve resorted to putting a clamp on it and pulling to the side to strait out. Figured I would leave it like that overnight to see it it will stay. I know it isn’t a stave or board bow, but if I took my heat gun to it and warmed the wood up a little do you think the bamboo would hold it?  It does shoot good ran a couple arrows through it and it hit 190

[wood carver 2]

Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but this is what I learned. Remove a little bit of material from the side that the limb bends away from .That side is stronger and is pushing the tip out of line. Don’t remove a lot all at once. A tiny amount at a time.

Dave.

[Watsonjay]

Ya. I did that. I even tried trapping the back a bit.

[jrstegner]

Did you try cutting your nock deeper on the quiver side?

[Watsonjay]

Yes that is the first thing kennym told me. Don’t think I can go anymore.

[Kirkll]

You really don't want to get that center section of the tip notch much less than 3/8'' if possible, but i've filed them down to 1/4'' thickness before doing the same thing you are doing. Make sure the top of your tip notches have a tear drop shape and is rounded over evenly..... Also round over the notches coming into the belly side of the limb tips and eye ball them to see the string is laying evenly on the limb where the loop comes together.....

I know this may sound strange.... But try flipping the loop on your string 180 degrees too. i've seen this effect tracking on recurve limbs that are sensitive to perfect alignment and fixed the problem.


  If everything has already been done and she is still twisting you will most likely have to live with it on a one piece bow.... trying to straighten it by twisting the limbs and heating them will bring a bow back to straight and stay there if it was built straight to begin with.... but... if you have built in a twist somehow, or failed to get the profile straight, the  twisting of the limbs will not hold for long.   

If you have a TD bow, you can play with shims on the limb pads to bring the tips over and get things straight again....... 

If you are having sensitivity issues with limb tracking and limb stability. it may be wise to to address the taper rates used and get a bit more beef in the outer limb. Sometimes just changing the stop location in the form and cutting back on the reflex tip location can make a big difference too. It's the limb thickness that makes your limb stable and it's 8 times stronger than adding width for stability.   food for thought.   Kirk.

[Watsonjay]

Thank you I will look at the tip shape. Ill pull clamp off tomorrow and if it doesn’t hold I will try heat gun too

[kennym]

Don't get her too hot, she will come apart...

The epoxy won't take it (or any glue for that matter)

[Kirkll]

If all else fails…, pike that baby an inch and start out with shallow string notches.
I know your intent is weight reduction. But you can either live with the twist, or have a straighter tracking bow 3-4 pounds heavier…

I think you are barking up the wrong tree trying to heat it and twist it straight.  Good luck.   Kirk

[Watsonjay]

Thank you.