I have been working on a new bow for myself for the upcoming season...I used to make and sell bows 20 plus years ago, I even sold laminations to a few suppliers and individual bowyers back in the day...now I have other things I do in my shop, but still love to shoot and hunt traditional gear...
many years ago I gave my presses and kiln to friend that ran a small Christian school...he was using them for projets for his boys. So I dont have the ability now to make my own limbs in particular for a take down...I thought about making up some new ones, but after finding some limbs online, I thought why not try that angle...
making risers is something that does not require as much specialized a set up...the same stuff I use making fly rods works perfect...for that mater any basic shop can do it too.
I tried out a few pairs of the samick limbs since they were so reasonable...the ones I ordered remind me of the old "Border" style limbs from the late 80's and early 90's...a very good bow from Scotland...I bought a set of 55# & 50#...both were right on the money...
only problem I had was I love to shoot three under or "Apache"...and when I made my own bows , either one pieces or td's I would make the tiller different on bows for that purpose , compared to the typical "one up and two down".
Specifacally, with 3 under the tiller is almost equal if not exactly...what I mean is the measurement from the string to the point of riser meeting limb on the lower limb is the same as the limb above...with 1 up 2 under it is generally 1/8" closer on the lower limb...
this is a function of whats called "fistmele", and old school term for the measurement from the string(when the bow is strung) to the throat of the handle...this is usually at the center of the bow from limb tip to limb tip...its the center focus point of the bows energy...the idea behind having to shoot to nock an arrow 1/4-3/4" above square it to accomadate the fact that the arrow is being launched above the center of the bow...hence the differences in tiller too...( the shelf is from 1/2-3/4" above the hand on most trad bows equipped for off the shelf shooting...
when shooting apache style, the nock point can be square to the shelf...maybe 1/16" above...and the tiller must also be correct to get best arrow flight...especially when launching broadheads.
OK...here was my dilema...the limbs I bought were tillered for the typical configuration...and were with the lower limb being almost 1/4" closer...no bueno for me...especially since I have shot three under for 30 years...so I thought about several ways to fix it...and here is what I came up with...
I took a piece of Buffalo leather(which is fairly rigid, and does not compress too much) and placed it between the riser and the limb at the tiller spot...It worked perfect...
I hope this helps anyone making their own TD that wants to shoot commercial limbs on a riser they made, and shoot their broadheads perfect "apache"...
here is a pic...50#@28 limbs, riser is cut to center, and I shoot off the shelf...d fir arrows splined 50-55 cut 28", I draw 27"...
and here are some more of the rig...
Topic: shooting apache style and tiller... (Read 570 times)
