It started good...but

[Dave Bowers]

Dang this is getting a bit frustrating    I wound up taking a nice slice outa the belly while shaping it. I knew it wasn't good, but I kept goin in hopes of be able to save it.
It looked like it was gonna shape up, but I gave it just a touch of floor tiller and that's when I heard a loud crack. After That I knew it was over    

No worries, I'll be out looking for another one this weekend.

What she started out as
 

Just before disaster
 

Where I messed up
 

[Leo L.]

That's how we learn.

[bjhaug]

I made 5 bows that all broke before I made on that worked.  It turned out a little lighter than I wanted, 43lb at 28", but the next one I have down now!

[Dave Bowers]

Yeah I have quit a few that have broken also. I not really worried bout it, but I woulda liked to have seen how it would have turned out.
I was looking at it and it might be salvageable, but I am not totally sure? I might just work a bit more on it and see what happens.

[Roy Steele]

Widen and leanthen your limbs alittle and your breaking will disapear.After you make a few then you can make your limbs narrower and shorter.

[Broke another one]

At least you didn't cut the bow in half with a band saw......it wasn't my fault....  

[UnderControl16]

Lol nice one broke another one.

Just do what Roy said and make sure that you are using woods with a high specific gravity. What was that one going to be made out of? (what wood was that)While you are tillering make sure that you don't have any hinges because while tillering you can usually see any defects which is why i don't floor tiller because i personally can't judge how the limb is bending.

[UnderControl16]

how come you were taking it out of the belly? When i tiller i remove wood from the back. Or course i'm making selfbows but i take the wood from the back and not the belly.....

[Chuck Hoopes]

Looked like you had a good start-- and then cut a little deep.  Lesson; you have to go slower.  When you wind up with a spot that is ovidiously so much thinner then the rest-- it is not time to start floor tillering -(Theres no way that thin spot is not going to hinge or break) you need to remove wood on either side of it. You're likely going to wind up thinning bow limbs down to about the same thickness as the thin spot. You can still get some kind of bow out of it--probably lighter than you wanted --but a bow none the less. Well, don't up-- I got a hunch your next one will be a shooter.  Have you considered making a few board bows first?  Lots of detail info to be found here on them.

[Dave Bowers]

Well I see how the next one goes; already went out and got another to start. I am gonna make a mental note to slow down; hopefully mistake will be cut to a minimum?
As far as wood from the belly..From what I've read you can do either the belly, the back or the sides? I think I read right?
I made a few board bows already and wanted to try man have at stave and large branches. Honestly I like working with them better then boards. Less of a hassle trying to find just the right board...lol

[Pat B]

Get your stave to a rough floor tiller stage and after that use nothing but a rasp and a scraper. Go slow, exercise each limb after wood removal, go slow, think about each scrape or rasp, go slow and you should come out on the other end with a nice bow. Did I mention GO SLOW!!! d;^)