New bow break in...Pictures and Video added

[coaster500]

What is your routine for breaking in or shooting in a new selfbow... I hear that it needs to be done with a new bow and I'm just trying to understand the correct way.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Are you building a bow or did you get one someone else built?

 If your building you shoot it in in as you tiller it gradually working it out to full draw as you sneak up on the tiller.

 If it's one you got from some one it should be shot in already. If not just start shooting it at short draw and gradually work your way up to full draw. I usually shoot one 25 times or so and check my tiller then work it out to a farther draw as I go.
 
 On my bows that I have built I will string them up and draw about 1/2 a few times and 3/4 a few times then full draw. I don't really know if this is the only way but it works for me. I also let them sit and acclimate to the temp outside before stringing and shooting. Not real long but at least 15 minutes or so.
 
 Hope this helps you.

 Stiks

[Roy from Pa]

When I make a selfbow, once I get it pulled to 20 inches on the tree, I start shooting it. I only draw it to the 20 inches or 22 or 24, etc as I tiller it. Also once it's pulled to 20 inches on the tree, I don't put it back on the tree again. I just shoot it at 20, then 22, then 24 on up to my 28 inch draw. I let the bow tell me which limb if any needs work. Once it's to my 28 draw length I'll put a couple hundered arrows through it. If the tiller is still good, I do the final sanding then shoot it again and stain and seal it.

[coaster500]

Stiks, Roy.... I'm trying a build but also just bought a Yew bow from a man that said he hadn't shot it but a few arrows and it is all most new. The bow was tillerd for 28"s so my 27 should be fine. He told me the builder told him to work it a bit before shooting it? I am buying a couple of selfbows to get some feeling about how mine should be.

The yew I'm buying

  http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Yew%20selfbow%2060%2044%2028/yew2.jpg

  http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Yew%20selfbow%2060%2044%2028/yew.jpg
 
And the Mulberry I'm trying to build...

 

Thank you for the help.

   Couple of pics to bigs, 640 pixels is the max

[Osagetree]

Go to a shorter sring now. Looking good!

I never saw a selfbow till I made one! Your method should give you a better start.

[frank bullitt]

Looks good coaster.The yew reminds me of a Wally Miles bow, short the rawhide backing.

Bet she's a sweet shooter?

[Roy from Pa]

Coaster my advice is never never use one of those extra long tillering strings. They lie. Cut in your string grooves on the limb tips and put a string on there that just fits snug when you start tillering. As you get the limb tips bending to say 6 or 7 inches, brace the bow to about 3 inches and keep tillering. When the limb tips are bending to say 8 or 9 inches, brace the bow to 6 inches and keep tillering.

[coaster500]

I put a shorter string on it today. I'll get back to the bow when my work load lightens up a bit. Thank you for all the info.. so far it's still in one piece  

[coaster500]

Well I finally had some time to play at it again. I still want to put a grip on it and do a little more tillering but I came in quite a bit under weight so I may settle for less than perfect. I am happy the little bow has held together in spite of my lack of talent. It has about 2 1/2"s of string fallow as I'm sure that the stave was not completely dry but the little bow is a great little teacher and shoots to boot. The tips were over kill on a first time try but the bone is from the first Whitetail I shot with a bow (he wasn't much to brag about either but I was ecstatic non the less)....  Turned out as of now 54”s 38@27 a bit shy of the mark…..

I know I need to work the end of the left limb a bit but I will have to live with the little hinge on the right side of the handle.

Got a scrap piece of leather and need to know what kind of finish I should put on the bow?

 
 
 
 
 
 

[broketooth]

wow you took much less time than i did thats for sure. for a finish, tru oil gunstock finish would be my first choice.oh and by the way, nice kanati slim jim quiver. rv

[red hill]

Good job! Sweet lookin' little bow. Much better than my first attemps.  

[coaster500]

Thanks rv, I'm sure your first bow came out much better than mine....  sometime I get to much in a hurry      

I have been reading post here forever and again I have to bow before all the talent.... some of you guys are amazing!!!

I like the Kanati...  it's a really well thought out quiver...

Shooting the Mulberry....

 http://s28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Bow%20projects/?action=view¤t=Mulberrystavebow002-1.mp4

[Roy from Pa]

Not bad for your first build Dude. Congrats. Do you have a tillering Gizmo? It will work wonders for you. There is a thread about it on here.

[coaster500]

Just glad it's not a 2pc    

Got a Vine Maple on deck and a Kentucky Coffee in the hole....  They are both much longer than the little Mulbery so we'll have handles    I Hope!!

[coaster500]

Roy I made a Gizmo works great    

Thank again

[coaster500]

Elktracker have you ever tried to download a video with photobucket? With my old computer it takes forever. If I make them very short it really cuts the download time  

I haven’t finished the little bow yet and am trying different handle Ideas. I used a thread and I want to apologize upfront as I can't remember who posted it  :(   ... anyway that person build the back of a bendy handle with pieces of leather and crazy glue. They them shaped it and wrapped it with leather. Well it works pretty well. I am trying to make a rest out of the same antler from my first whitetail. I don't have it shooting as well off the rest as my knuckle but I think it's a height adjustment or the fact I'm trying to get it to work with the natural point, we will see.

The only thing that is permanent at this point is the build up on the back….  

Still experimenting……