The Evolution of the Tillering Gizmo, Lets Make One

[mwosborn]

Yep, gotta love the gizmo - regardless of the bit size used to make it!  :D    Thanks again Eric.

[Buemaker]

Da "Gizmo Man". Always interesting to see gadgets that makes things easier. Bue--.

[snibbling]

Hello all! Very new to bow building so just looking for some feedback! I just made this from a spare piece of 3/4" red oak. Is this to small or will it still work?


 
left click to open in bigger in new window. i placed a standard house key for size comparison.

[Eric Krewson]

You really need to make one about 6" long, the shorter ones don't work very well. I have tried a bunch of lengths and always come back to 6".

[Jeff Vadney]

I thought the "Gizmo" was a great idea. I made one the same design only out of steel. Brazed the 5/16" nut onto an 1/8" thick piece of steel the same dimensions as the wooden one. Put the nut on top of a bigger nut and brazed them both so the pencil did not stick through too far. No need to taper the ned. Not as beautiful as wood, but if you can work with metal. it is very handy

[Eric Krewson]

Let's take this to the top for all the newbies who haven't seen it.

[Roy from Pa]

Good thinking, Eric...

[Zradix]

Love em!

[takefive]

A Gizmo and a dial calipers take so much of the guesswork out of tillering    

[Shakes.602]

Yes sir, I am still using the First Design Gizmo you sent me, many moons ago! You cant beat a Gizmo for Quality Tillering Help!! Thank You for the Help Mr. Krewson!!

[Roy from Pa]

Yupper, the gizmo sure has helped me up my game.

[Bowjunkie]

I've never used one. I'm not sure how much good it would do me at this point, and to be honest, I have a few reservations, but I'll likely make one soon just to play with it under certain circumstances. I've got enough other bend, thickness, and taper gauges, indicators, and such... what would one more hurt? I think it's a great idea, but should be used with discretion.

[Roy from Pa]

Yes bowjunkie, it has it's limitations in certain bow limb designs, but whatever the design, it helps in the early stages of tillering. Quit being so old fashion stuck in the mud Jeff. LMAO

[bowberry]

last year, before I read this thread, before I found trad gang I saw someone some where write "use a short stick and compare the gap".
Now, because I am a super genius and a machinist I made one with a dial indicator. So I cracked a beer and started writing down tons of numbers, comparisons ect.I had to re learn trig and teach myself calculous.You see, what happens is this; you measure along bothe limbs and write down say 40 numbers.Then you scrape a tiny bit in one little area and remeasure. ALL the numbers from BOTH limb are now different. Its all conected in some sick twisted way. After three hours my brain melted and I blacked out. When I awoke I threw the evil device away.Had I only known about the pencil. Ah.. the pencil. The pencil could have saved me. I guess it's true. sometimes less is more.

[Eric Krewson]

Yep, simple ideas from simple minds.

[DaveMac]

Can the gizmo be used on elliptical tillers or reflex - deflex bows? If so how?

[Roy from Pa]

It can be used in the early stages to get an even bend in the mid limb to inner limb area, but not for the final tillering stages.

[Eric Krewson]

Yep, you need to adjust the bend in the fades and stiffen the tips after you get the rest of the limb bending right with the Gizmo.

[darin putman]

Aside from all the instruction of Eric Krewson the Gizmo has really been a great help for me on how to properly tiller a bow, just had to follow Eric's instructions and trust the Gizmo! Thanks Eric!

[Eric Krewson]

Where the gizmo shines is getting the limbs bending right on the long string before you go to low brace with the short string.

If you adjust the gizmo to the deepest spot on the weakest limb when you start tillering on the long string and keep that setting while you work on both limbs removing wood, you can get to the short string without any hinges or oops type surprises.