A Few Questions From A New Bowyer

[mwosborn]

Once I am at brace (around 7") I use a "tillering tree" (rope and pulley system) so that I draw the bow from a distance and observe the bends in the limbs.  I go slowly and only pull a few inches looking for stiff spots.  I can also hold the bow for a few seconds or so while I mark with a gizmo.  I scrape the stiff spots and then return to the tree.  Exercise the limbs pulling 25-30 times to the last draw length I was at.  Repeat this process gradually increasing draw length as the bow becomes tillered.  I was taught never to pull beyond your intented draw length or weight and never draw past a point when you observe a stiff or weak spot in the limb.

Holding a bow drawn at a "long" draw length for observing for any length of time can cause problems.  I am certainly no expert and only have built a hand full of bows - just passing on what other more experienced guys have shared with me.  Good luck!

[Dan Landis]

Make yourself a tillering gizmo and use it to show you where to remove wood and follow mwosborn's directions above.  You can find the how to build and use one on this site.  My success rate is much higher since I started using a gizmo.  Good luck on your next one.

[Roy from Pa]

Gizmo link below

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000075

[Curtis Roberts]

Awesome info! Im off to get some more wood today and some tools.  Thanks everyone, I'll keep you posted  

[Pat B]

I start my long string tillering at the completion of floor tillering(with 4" of tip movement). I only pull a few inches, exercise a lot and observe the bend of both limbs and mark any stiff spots and/or weak spots. By the time I get to 6" to 8" of tip movement and both limbs are bending evenly and together I go to a low brace(from 0" to about 3" of brace height). From this time on I use the short string. When I get to about 12" of tip movement I go to normal(MOL) brace height...as long as everything is still OK.
 I do use a tillering stick sometimes before I hit brace height and again while using the tiller gizmo but other than that it is a tree with rope and pully.