My first selfbow, Red Oak Boardbow

[Flyboy718]

Here are the latest pics of the bow with the handle fades and the backing.
 
 
 

[1oldbowguy]

Looking nice, keep the pics coming.

[Flyboy718]

Trimmed off the excess linen and glue this morning...learned a lesson; I will tape the sides of the bow with masking tape next time I do that.

[Flyboy718]

I made a tiller thing-a-ma-bob last night and a string jig, so I started tillering today...critique please!  That string was my first I made and boy do I have a lot of work to do, it is way too long for the 62" recurve I was making it for, so I am using it as a tiller string.  I got to 12" and it started feeling pretty stiff, was thinking of stopping here for now and shave of some to decrease the poundage a good bit?

 
 
 

[Pat B]

12" on the long string equals only about 2" of tip movement in your pics. Once you get to 8" of tip movement go to a short string and a 3" to 4" brace height. At that point you can see how the string is tracking and if both limbs are bending evenly and together.
  Your bend looks good so far so get it to bend a little more. Don't forget to exercise the limbs well between wood removal, no matter how little or much you take off.
  Do you know the draw weight where the bow stands now?

[Flyboy718]

Originally posted by Pat B:
12" on the long string equals only about 2" of tip movement in your pics. Once you get to 8" of tip movement go to a short string and a 3" to 4" brace height. At that point you can see how the string is tracking and if both limbs are bending evenly and together.
  Your bend looks good so far so get it to bend a little more. Don't forget to exercise the limbs well between wood removal, no matter how little or much you take off.
  Do you know the draw weight where the bow stands now?

Thanks Pat...I have no idea where it is weight wise now...going to pick up a bathroom scale today and find out.  She is getting pretty stiff at that 12" mark and I am going keep it there and shave some more pounds there. If I had to take a wild guess at what she is pulling now I would say 40ish.

[Pat B]

Be sure the bathroom scale is not digital!
  Shorten your long string so it is just long enough to go from tip to tip. If need be, untwist one loop and tie a bowyers knot(timber hitch) in that end. You can use this string as an adjustable tiller string.

[Flyboy718]

Latest pics...have haven't adjusted the string, she is pulling 23# @ 14" I haven't measured the string so I don't know if that factors anything...it is the same length I have been using. (Pat I just read your reply, I will do that next)  What bothers me though is the string follow only on one limb and it is 1" on one and almost none on the other, what is the deal?

 
 
 

[Pat B]

You are overstressing that limb more. One reason to get the string shorter is the angle it pulls with the extra long string gives a false reading and the leverage makes it easy to pull too far.

[Flyboy718]

Originally posted by Pat B:
You are overstressing that limb more. One reason to get the string shorter is the angle it pulls with the extra long string gives a false reading and the leverage makes it easy to pull too far.

Going to tighten the string up like you said, do you think it is too late?  Will the bow be ok?

[John Scifres]

You are worrying too much.  Make the bow.  Make the bow  

The right limb is bending more then the left.  The set will catch up.  10 rasps on the left and then bend it 30 times.  Take another picture.  Repeat until they are even.  I always feel more comfortable once I get it braced.  The long string pretty much just tells you they are bending and even.  Weight measurements are almost useless assuming your initial layout was correct.  They really just tell me when it is time to string it.   Get it on a low brace, maybe 2" and carry on.

[Flyboy718]

Originally posted by John Scifres:
You are worrying too much.  Make the bow.  Make the bow    

The right limb is bending more then the left.  The set will catch up.  10 rasps on the left and then bend it 30 times.  Take another picture.  Repeat until they are even.  I always feel more comfortable once I get it braced.  The long string pretty much just tells you they are bending and even.  Weight measurements are almost useless assuming your initial layout was correct.  They really just tell me when it is time to string it.   Get it on a low brace, maybe 2" and carry on.

Thanks John, will do!

[Flyboy718]

Put her on a low brace 2" maybe a little less and this is the results...string follow is a lot better this time around, I think she is bending pretty good all the way around, I used the tillering gizmo a few times.  Just for the record...I have no idea what I am doing and whether I am doing it right, the only thing I know to do is to keep shaving wood, I feel like I need to do another shave and then try to get it on what the REAL brace height.  For what its worth the last pic is pulled to 12" that is with just a taught string...not braced at 2" like earlier and she pulled 22#.  I am shooting for 40ish at 30" no more than 43#.  Critiques welcomed!  She sure is a nice little bow!  The string is tracking right down the pipe and she is nice and sturdy.

 
 
 
 

[Flyboy718]

Haven't done anymore tillering, just been working on my flemish strings trying to get that mastered. Anyways, got one made up and was able to get the bow braced at 5".  How does she look?
 

[Rain Man]

Nice!  I've never made a string before.  Now, if you have a bow square, you can make marks at certain distances along each limb and measure the distance between the limb and the string.  That way, you can get an exact reading when you compare how much each limb is bending.

[Flyboy718]

Does it look like I need it to bend more starting at the fades to about 2" out from there?  And does the right limb look just a little stronger for some reason?

[Rain Man]

Yea, it looks like it would be good to start your bend earlier.  Good eye.  Your right limb could be stronger... that's why you should measure the distance between the string and limb at equal spots on each limb and compare them.  Now that you have a string on it, why eye-ball it and guess...

This was the tiller on my first.  After that picture, I did some work on that right limb because it wasn't bending as much as the left.  Now they're even.  Not perfect, but it still shoots nice at 45#.


 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Got to give it a good pull Flyboy to see much, dont go past your intended draw weight however. Just by eyeballing your limb thickness I would guess you dont have much material left before you start building a light weight bow, go slow. Just my observation's. Take Johns advice and just build it. I know the feeling of trying to be sure your first one works out. Put it on your tree and pull it as far as your intended draw weight will allow, then take your gizmo and run it under both limbs, it will tell you alot.

[Flyboy718]

Originally posted by PEARL DRUMS:
Got to give it a good pull Flyboy to see much, dont go past your intended draw weight however. Just by eyeballing your limb thickness I would guess you dont have much material left before you start building a light weight bow, go slow. Just my observation's. Take Johns advice and just build it. I know the feeling of trying to be sure your first one works out. Put it on your tree and pull it as far as your intended draw weight will allow, then take your gizmo and run it under both limbs, it will tell you alot.

You hit it on the head about making sure it works out right...worried about pulling it too far though.  I still have a lot of wood left at the fades what is the best way to remove it there, all I have is a surform and a 4way file.  Would a sharp knife work?

[John Scifres]

You really need to check the weight before you string it the first time or you can seriously overstress it.  You should be pulling maybe 10 pounds below your target weight at 16".  If you are somewhere in that neighborhood, carry on with pulling farther.

Your tiller looks pretty good at brace.  Now pull it until you see a problem or you hit your weight.  In other words, pull it to 16" and check tiller.  If it looks good, weight it.  If you are still good on tiller, weight it again and repeat.  As you get closer to target draw, get closer to target weight until they meet at that magical point where your stave becomes a bow.  But it cannot have that title until you shoot it.