2 Bows almost done, Please check

[razorback]

Well I am just about finished on these 2 bows. First is an Osage bow that I have been working on for a year and had a bunch of trouble with. Lots of cracks and checks. The second one is a Pyramid board bow with Walnut handle and tips with Osage overlays. Let me know what you think of the tiller on each, please.

osage unbraced
 

Osage braced
 

Osage 24" draw
 

The right limb is 1" longer and I am thinking of trimming it down to try to up the poundage a little. Currently 35#.


Pyramid Bow Unbraced
 

Braced
 

Pyramid 24" Drawn
 

[razorback]

Also on the riser of the Pyramid bow I noticed a crack in the walnut. Goes across the grain and through two parts of the wood. Looks like it may have been in the wood when I put it on the bow. What do you think and how to fix.

 

 

[Pat B]

On the first bow, the right limb is still right out of the fade, then bends too much then stiff most of the way out. Get it bending better first before you shorten it. It is as strong as the hinge about 6" out from the fade.
 I'd super glue the walnut handle cracks but why did it crack? Must be bending there. looks like it is along the grain.

[razorback]

Thanks Pat. I am going to dig through my scraps to find the off cuts and look to see if the crack was in there as well. It actually goes across the grain, which makes me think it may have been a fracture that was in the piece before I used it and just didn't notice.

[bowur]

I had a bow that cracked along the center of the handle when pulling it to full draw for the first time, but after shooting it a couple hundred times its still holdin its own. Superglue would probably make it better

[DVSHUNTER]

pat pretty much nailed what I was going to say. I think that crack is trouble if it wasn't there before.

[razorback]

I found one of the offcuts, the fade, and it doesn't appear to have the crack in it. I will superglue it and see what happens. What do you think would have caused it. I don't think it is bending into the handle, could be that Walnut is too brittle for this application.

[Pat B]

The way your handle is cut out it could be flexing a bit. Also the abrupt width taper at the handle could cause some problems too.

[John Scifres]

Here's the osage bow with the right limb and left limb compared to each other.  Left limb is on top.  Both limbs are stiff in the middle and outer thirds, more so on the right.  

[razorback]

That is really cool John, how did you do that. I have been working on it today and have it bending more, and they are starting to look a little closer. the way I am going I may cut it down a couple of inches on each end and still have a kids bow    They have to shoot too.

[No-sage]

Tony,

You can do the same thing John did by tracing the limbs on butcher paper or cardboard or your workbench.  If you do that the differences will pop right out.

[4est trekker]

Razorback:  Do you work/store your bows in an unheated shop that you heat when you're working in there?  Also, is the walnut from the lumberyard or something you cut on your own?

[razorback]

It is a basement shop that stays the same cool temp all the time. The walnut is from a lumber yard. Don't remember when I got it, is an off cut from another project.

[John Scifres]

I use Photofiltre software.  It's free and almost as good as Photoshop.  I just copy one limb and then paste it, flip it, and make it 50% transparent.  When you do digital tillering, it is very helpful if you set up a tripod and shoot from the exact same spot everytime.

[Osagetree]

Originally posted by John Scifres:
 digital tillering  

Sounds primitive  

[4est trekker]

Remember that a bow should be tillered as it will perform in the hand, not on the tree.  I use the photo flip technique if I just can't see what's going on, but I judge final tiller by looking in a mirror, video taping, or taking a picture while drawing the bow in the hand.

[John Scifres]

Digital tillering is primitive only if you use a camera with less than 10 megapixels and Photofiltre 5 or less.

Final tiller for me is judged in the hand.  If a bow looks great on the tree or the computer but draws or shoots like crap, something is wrong.

[Pat B]

A tiller tree is static and your hand will compensate. Final tiller in hand is the way to go.

[4est trekker]

"Digital tillering is primitive only if you use a camera with less than 10 megapixels and Photofiltre 5 or less."

Ha Ha!  Funny, John!    

[razorback]

Thanks guys. I agree that the hand is best for final tillering. I was thinking about during the tillering process to get a good idea of how they are bending together while trying to get them even and to weight.