tiller tree

[Ian johnson]

I need to see some pics of what a tiller tree looks like and some instructons on building one

[Dano]

Here's some plans that Tim Flood drew up.
 

[Ian johnson]

thanks dano, can anyone show me an actual pic of one, and how would measure pull wieght with that, how would you attach a wieght scale to it?

[horatio1226]

Ian
go to the Build a longs section and start going thru the bow buld alongs. For every bow build a long there is a tiller tree of some sort.
Brian

[Jason Lester]

You can basicaly do whatever you want as long as it holds the bow level (so you can see the tiller) and has a way of pulling it.

Mine has one pully at the bottom and I attached a scale between it and the bowstring so any time I pull it I can see the weight. This helps so you don't over stress the limbs by pulling past you intended weight. Mine is attached to my bench.

I also built another one I can hook the string over a couple dowels and then step back and look at the tiller. No pullies on this one and you have to pull it down over the dowels by hand. I usualy don't use it to build because I don't like to be that close when unsure about a bow. The pulley is much safer.

Like I said it can be anyway you want to make it as long as it holds the bow level and stable.

[Walt Francis]

Here is a picture of the one I use the most.  It is along the same design as Dano's except I use a two pieces of plywood with rounded slots screwed to the side rather then a block placed on the front.
 

[BMN]

Hey Walt,

Would you mind giving a brief rundown of what all the graphics on the board are used for?

Bill

[Walt Francis]

Bill,
I picked up the board from a sewing shop and use the checkered pattern to help me keep the limb tips bending the same distance or evenly.  The other lines were on the board when I bought it and I haven’t used them for anything.  It also helps me determine, roughly, if the limbs are bending evenly.  For final tillering, bending, and final touches I have started using Eric Krewson’s tillering gizmo.

[BMN]

Thanks Walt. I thought you may have turned the board 90-degrees and compared the bending limb to the curved lines to check for flat spots or hinges.

Bill

[Ian johnson]

what is his tillering gizmo?

[horatio1226]

Its an adjustable pencil stuck thru a block of wood that helps to identify flat spots in your tiller. Do a search in buld alongs."tillering gizmo"

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I use a small block of wood and screw a screw in to it till the point just starts to come out it markes the wood to be scraped when tillering.