Prevent or reduce string follow?

[scars]

I am trying to figure out how to reduce string follow? If my research is correct you work the limbs from handle flares first get that part moving move on to mid limb then tips last.All while not over stressing limb weight
 So far white oak bow has almost 2 inches. Hickory has about 1 1/2 inches and after 4 attempts at red oak I finally got one to not break but it has about 3/4 inch of string follow. These are all straight longbows.
Any insight would be great.

Sorry still trying to figure out PB img file

Joe

[scars]

I think I have my red oak picture

[Eric Krewson]

You are using lighter weight wood and string follow is often hard to avoid. Follow is also over rated, if your bows shoot well for you I would ignore it.

You could glue on a hickory backing with your board in a reflex to minimize follow.

I have made about a zillion bows, most of mine end up with about an inch of follow after several years of shooting even if they start out with heat induced reflex before I start tillering.

[Pat B]

I prefer to save the near handle/fade area for last. That is where most of the stress is when you consider the leverage of the limbs. Also, with most whitewoods you can temper the belly with heat while holding the bow in reflex on a form.
  Good tillering practices and as little stress as possible is your best bet...but like Eric said a little set won't hurt anything as long as the bow shoots well for you. It will just reduce the draw weight a little.

[scars]

Eric, Thanks for your insight, I have had good luck with bamboo and hickory as a backing. I never thought of using heat tempering on a nonworking backed bow before I start tillering. Will try that.

Pat I will try working midlimbs first, I became interested in trad bows just before Christmas. As a Kid I made chokecherry bows for gopher hunting. The gopher tail bounty back then was two cents a tail, Ten gophers was a pocket full of candy.
Tillering the bow limbs is pure magic, love the challenge. Thanks

Joe

[Pat B]

You won't be able to temper the belly of a backed bow. It gets too hot and can guin the glue holding the bow together. If you pre-tiller the bell so you get good even bend to the limbs before glue up then when you do glue it you can glamp it in reflex. You only need about 3" of reflex to end up with a flat side profile after being shot in. Now don't forget your tillering skills weigh in on all of this too. d;^)
  I like to get the mid 2/3 of the limbs bending evenly and together then work the bend back into the fades. I leave the outter 6" stiff.

[scars]

Thanks Pat,
I'm aware of heat related glue failure. :(
 
I was reading an article over at stickbow about reflex pre-tillering the belly to 20 to 30 % less than the weight I would want. The backing and the reflex would make up the rest. Is that what you are referring too? I also made one of Erics gizmo.

After reading your first response I went out to the shop cut a slat of hickory and at the moment it is cooling in a jig with 3 1/2" of reflex. I used dry heat if this doesn't work I will pull out the old steamer an get it back in working order.
On a side note I bought a bunch of bow wood and backing from 7 Lakes longbow, one set of slats is Jatoba and I want to get as many of the first time mistakes out of the way before I use it. It's that nice.

Joe