Just started tillering

[ranger 3]

Here is one I just started and the first pic. is pulling about 10" on the long string and the second one is about 12" it is about 35 pounds and I am shooting for 45@27 this is my first round belly bow, what do you think?
 
 

[Pat B]

If you are getting 12" of tip movement you need to brace it low(about 3" to 4")and see if everything is lining up before you remove more wood. At this point the long string will give you a false reading.
  From what I can see both limbs seem to be bending well. Can tell more after you brace it.

[ranger 3]

Pat, I mean the sting is pulling 12" not the tips. How much tip movement should you have before the short sting?

[Pat B]

When I get 6" to 8" of tip movement I switch to a short string and brace the bow 3" to 4" high. This will show you how the string tracks and the limbs line up. If things are off I make corrections(heat&clamps)then try again after 24 hours of cooling.
  Once you are at low brace and everything is OK you can tiller out the bow as if braced normally. When I got out to 10" to 12" of draw length I go to normal brace height for the rest of the tillering process.
  While the bow is at low brace I use a tiller stick to about 8" or 10" of draw and check the limb's bend with Eric's Gizmo. Usually after that, if everything is good, I can tiller out the bow without the use of aids but sometimes, even near full draw I will check the limbs with the Gizmo just to be sure my "eye" is still true.

[ranger 3]

Here it is braced at 4" I see a flat spot on the left limb. I also need to tweak the right limb to get the string in the middle of the handle.
 
 

[Pat B]

The right limb looks pretty good but you are about to hinge the left one about mid limb.       Don't pull it any farther until you correct the left limb and make both bend together.

[Eric Krewson]

You sure need a tillering gizmo. May be too late for that left limb. Hopefully that hingy place didn't take a permanent set.

[snag]

Isn't it possible for him to take some wood off between the handle and the hinge area on the left to get it to bend more evenly through the limb, and then work on the right side to mirror the left?

[Pat B]

Snag, that is just what he will have to do. He will also have to take some wood from the outer portion of that left limb too to relieve the stress at the hinge.

[snag]

Just trying to figure this tillering out. Thanks for the feedback Pat B.  So it's ok to take some off the back? I thought that was a no-no...? Or is that just for certain woods where you chase a ring like osage?  Not to hijack this thread...but this has got me thinking. I have a hazelnut stave that I started making a bow out of. I didn't know about not take wood off the back. So I rasped and filed the shape of the bow...back and belly! Is that stave ruined?

[John Scifres]

No, not the back.  Pat meant the belly of the part closer to the tip (outer portion of that limb).

That stave is far from ruined.  There may be more set than you like right at the hingy part but the hinge itself is easily corrected.

Take wood off where it doesn't bend enough.  Leave it alone where it bends to much.  Don't bend it past your target weight.  Don't bend it past your target draw length.  Don't bend it when the limbs aren't even.  Bend it only far enough to show a needed correction.

[b.glass]

John I think he is talking about his hazelnut stave. And I think if you were after a selfbow that is not going to work. You would have to back it now Snag.

[Pat B]

A sound back is what keeps a selfbow together. Always make the back of a bow as defect free as possible.

[snag]

That's what I thought.  Can I just back it with sinew or should I use rawhide?

[Pat B]

Depending on how violated the back is rawhide might be plenty of protction. Will you post a pic of the back so we can see?

[snag]

I'll post a picture tomorrow. Thanks, David

[Pat B]

Start a new thread, Snag. No need to hijack Rangers thread. d;^)

[ranger 3]

Well here it is now.It is about 45@26 and stacks a little
 
 
 

[Pat B]

Boy, you cleaned that up nicely. Well done!

[snag]

Sorry.

That looks great Ranger.