Let’s talk limb set (string follow)

[epage_backwards_hat]

I don’t pretend to be any super knowledgeable bowyer. Though I have dabbled in self bows for over 15 years it’s been maybe a bow here and a bow there. Set is something I have come to accept on white wood bows that I love to build. I have messed with fire hardening and can appreciate the results certainly. But… I also appreciate traditional bow making without any hardening process, just diligent tiller. All this goes to ask the question…. How much sleep do you fellas really lose over string follow? I have had varying experiences with performance. I have an American elm that took some permanent set in fades (my fault… summer moisture got me) and has about 3”. It shoots great. I also have an un-backed hickory ASL with about 1.5”. Both of these bows pull over 50lb and shoot hard. Me personally… as long as it’s not more than 3” or set I don’t get too upset anymore. Where do you all land on acceptable string follow??

[Mad Max]

Most all new selfbow guy's can't wait until the stave is dry enough.
NO long string, pulling on a tiller tree for me until later.
I like to floor tiller and when I get it bending to my liking I brace it less that 3", then to the tiller tree and only pulling it down a few inches.
Set will always be there, some woods (Osage) will have less set than white woods.
A 68" NTN bow will take less set than a 60".
Hope that help's some.

[epage_backwards_hat]

Most all new selfbow guy's can't wait until the stave is dry enough.
NO long string, pulling on a tiller tree for me until later.
I like to floor tiller and when I get it bending to my liking I brace it less that 3", then to the tiller tree and only pulling it down a few inches.
Set will always be there, some woods (Osage) will have less set than white woods.
A 68" NTN bow will take less set than a 60".
Hope that help's some.

I could focus more on floor tiller than I do… once I see fairly even bend I move to the tree. I also spend a lot of time on long string now days. Like you, I have very little bend by the time my tiller is near perfect (not even to brace). Then I start weight reduction. I’m sure many of my pains are from not having a digital scale. Those things are a wonderful resource.

[mmattockx]

Where do you all land on acceptable string follow??

I have only made a few bows, so I'm hardly a veteran. My goal is to always minimize set by building bows with lower stresses than what is often considered typical or normal. A little extra width at the fades and a bit of extra length go a long ways to reducing set and keeping performance up. Near as I can tell (so far) you gain more performance by reducing set than you lose by not running a more highly stressed design that takes more set.


Mark

[Mad Max]

Long strings Lie because you are pulling down mostly.
A 66" bow with a 66/64" string, you have too bend it some to get the string on, this will show you better what is going on. If the fades are bending now, STOP and scrape limbs, stay away from the fades.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

1” or less makes me happy. Though I’m content with less than 3” as long as the performance is still good.

Now I do heat treat almost everything and it helps quite a bit. I also long string the bow u til about 20” if I’m going for the 26-28” area. This leaves enough room to tweak the tiller as needed. The draw weight to draw length will remain the same between the long amd short strings but the tiller profile will change. By shortening the string you shift some of the bend out towards the tips. So if you tiller circular with a long string you will have be up slightly elliptical on a short string. But if you’re getting 50# at 20” with the long string you’ll still get 50# at 20” on the short.

Kyle

[epage_backwards_hat]

1” or less makes me happy. Though I’m content with less than 3” as long as the performance is still good.

Now I do heat treat almost everything and it helps quite a bit. I also long string the bow u til about 20” if I’m going for the 26-28” area. This leaves enough room to tweak the tiller as needed. The draw weight to draw length will remain the same between the long amd short strings but the tiller profile will change. By shortening the string you shift some of the bend out towards the tips. So if you tiller circular with a long string you will have be up slightly elliptical on a short string. But if you’re getting 50# at 20” with the long string you’ll still get 50# at 20” on the short.

Kyle

I have never heard or thought about that before with the tiller change in strings.. thank you for that!

[Powder]

I almost always build backed bows. I use predominantly Osage, Hickory, Elm, Mulberry, and White Oak for the belly. I seem to normally make tri-lams... But I sometimes keep it to just two lams...

I don't mind some sting follow... Although I prefer 1.5 or less. I do heat treat with a torch and a heat gun and sometimes I have very little set, but I always have some. Even with Osage and Mulberry.

When I am in glue up I use a backset form that starts the tips out about 2 inches ahead of the handle. When I am building a "Hill Style" bow, tri-lam or quad lam, no matter the material, the bow is usually dead straight when I am done.

I am in no way an expert so I am sure my tillering could be improved. So time will tell if the set goes away or dimineshes. But so far, the set isn't too bad and I don't hate it.

The one on the right is boo backed hickory, at 64lbs. The far left is black palm. The rest are Osage bellied, backed bows of various designs.

[Mad Max]

Powder you ever try Ipe for the belly

[Powder]

I have... I can never keep the riser glued on. So after a couple years i gave up on it. I am sure it is equal parts poor workmanship and humidity here in VA that causes my issues... But I quit Ipe and gave what I had left to a bowyer out in Colorado. He loves the stuff and has the skill to really make it work.

[simk]

IMHO the stronger the bow the less a little set matters but the more it occurs. I often make lighter bows between 30-40 pounds; with these having very little set or even a little reflex is the goal. Here the amount of set/reflex makes a huge difference. If you have a 70# bow your bow has enough performance reserve anyways and you wil not really notice a little set. Jm2c