Marked center wrong

[TheBronzeAge]

So I made a truly moronic mistake.  I'm making two identical bows (except for final staining/painting) for other people.  I'm on a deadline.  I'm using 4estTrekker's build-along with some minor modifications (I'm using tip overlays but no reflexed tips and I'm doing a fancier handle which a friend of mine will help me with).

I laid out both 68" boards, measured them out, marked the center at 32" instead of 34", and then did a ton of work on both boards (mostly because I have to go over to other people's houses to use their power tools for everything I did).

Given that I'm clearly an idiot which of the following should I do:

1) Cut 4" off the long limb and make 64" bows. (I'm planning on backing both bows with cloth as insurance.  You can see why I might do that.)

2) Eyeball a bow with uneven limbs - I mean, they exist, especially the old mounted combat bows.  But this sounds like something one needs skill for.

3) Throw up my hands in despair.

[walkabout]

personally id cut the longer limb so it is an inch longer, which would move your shelf closer to center, and also give the lower limb more working limb to extend the life of the bow. i built my sisters bow like this and it shot great. 65" is more than workable as long as you have enough working limb.how long did you make the handle section, 8 or 10 inches? this would help determine how much working limb you have left.

[TheBronzeAge]

The handle section is about ten inches, depending on where you decide the fades start and stop.

If one limb is longer should it be top or bottom limb?

[walkabout]

the top limb should be the longer one. just be sure to keep using your initial center mark or you may get confused , i have more than once with 65" bows. you may be pushing limits if the shooters have draws of 28", with the working limb being 27", although it may hold up just fine.

[TheBronzeAge]

I just checked and I should be able to shorten the handle section.  I'll need to remove more wood, but I could knock 2" out of the handle, 2" off the long limb and end up with a 66" bow.  Would that be better yet?

I draw 28" and both of the people getting these bows are shorter than I am.

[walkabout]

you should be able to make your handle section 8", as long as you are sure to have the fades at 2 inches long, and extending safely into the widest part of the limb.66 inches would definitly be better than 64, although if they are shorter theyre probably only pulling 27 inches, so youll be fine doing it that way. good luck and keep us posted on how they turn out.also, if youre cutting an arrow shelf be sure to put it in the thickest part of the fades for insurance.

[jess stuart]

Hey don't be to hard on yourself.  I don't make wood bows only glass but have made some really boneheaded mistakes.  I cut the sight window in on the wrong side once, put a taper in backwards once.  Really funny looking profile on that one.  I have drilled my mounting hole in the limbs in the wrong place more than once.  The good thing I was able to save all of those bows, different looking for sure but shot just fine.  We learn a great deal mistakes.

Sounds like you already have a great plan to save them.

[TheBronzeAge]

Here's how the handle looks these days:
   

[Mr. Vegas]

Cleaned up nice.

[Rain Man]

Lookin good.   It might not matter for you, but to avoid popping the handle off, I've heard from people on here that your handle fade-out should end at the widest part of your limbs.  Your fade actually doesn't start until after the widest part, and so your bow might keep trying to bend through the handle a little, therefore possibly popping the handle off.  A good rule of thumb is to remember that as you fade out your handle, you should also be tapering in your limb width to the handle's width.

[TheBronzeAge]

Yeah, I was trying for that, but what with having to move the handle in a bit to correct the earlier mistake I didn't quite hit it - nor is the handle exactly symmetrical.

Thankfully, the handle is a beast.  I'm hoping that will take care of most of the issue.

[TheBronzeAge]

Additional questions for this bow:

1) Is it worth trapping it?  At what angle?

2) I am thinking of backing it with linen for safety.  When should I do that?  Any tricks I should know first?

[John Scifres]

Making bows for other people can cause stress.

Adding in a timeline can cause even more stress.

Stress causes mistakes.

Bandaiding mistakes is a compromise.

Do you really want to give or sell your compromises to others?

You are a new maker of bows.  Don't ruin it by making it a business or promising others things that you can't yet deliver.

Just a few thoughts.  Peace.

[walkabout]

if backing it for safety you should do it before tillering. as far as trapping i dont think it would be necessary.

[TheBronzeAge]

Here's how the bow is coming along.
   
The tips are a bit stiff (not sure if they are too stiff, but I still plan on scraping them down more), the draw weight is getting close to reasonable, and there's a very, very slight positive tiller on one arm (probably because, according to the tillering gizmo, one arm is stiff for about 6 inches at the tip and the other is stiff for about 4 inches).  The difference is currently less than my ability to measure.

However, my eye isn't experienced, so feel free to tell me what else is wrong.  I won't pass on this bow unless it's some of my best work.

[walkabout]

actually looks pretty good at brace. the right limb about midlimb out looks a little stiff to me. as for tips i would suggest leaving them stiff so you can narrow them later to help keep handshock down. another thing ive found using the gizmo is not to take a measurement off the fades or right near them to gauge your bend, it will read falsely as that area doesnt bend right away but is cut in an arc. usually i take mine from whatever area is bending the most, then if i find an area that is bending more than that i adjust and keep going. final tiller i do by eye, the gizmo will get you a very circular tiller and in some ceases you dont want certain bows to have this type if tiller.