Tillering Osage? w/ *UPDATED PICTURES*

[snag]

 

I have got this bow to 20" and trying to see where I need to go from here. It is drawing to 50#@20" and I am wanting to get it to 55#-60#@28". Any input would be appreciated. The right side is the upper limb, left is the lower. Thanks, David

[snag]

 

Here's a couple of other imagines.

[snag]

Should I be working on the outer 1/3 of both limbs?

[PEARL DRUMS]

I would leave the last 6" of each tip alone and just dust off the outers touch, you can see were they are flat. If your 50 @ 20 now you dont have much left to save your 55-60 @ 28 goal.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Left limb looking good, right limb a little flat inside the small circle. The bow isn't exactly balanced center on the tillering tree so that could be throwing it off a little too.
Keep working it down even on both sides, hit that flat area a little more and when you get a nice smooth arc you can hit the tips a little and get some more bend in them.
That's what I would do, but like Pearl said your close to your target wt. so you have to be real careful now.
 

[snag]

Thanks guys. I need to get some rubber and put on the tiller tree so it holds the bow more evenly. I get it over to where the shelf is in the exact middle of the tree and it rocks because of the contoured grip.
I had to heat treat the limbs to bend them. One limb got some color on it from too much heat! Should I stain the limbs to even up the color? If I do can I still seal it with Tru-oil?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I've stained some before and used Minwax stains, red oak color seems to match the best but there's so many to chose from. The one called "red oak" to me looks like osage does after it's aged naturally, kind of a dark brown/orangish bronze sort of color.

[DVSHUNTER]

I agree with semo. The right limb needs attention near the fade. Other than that it looks fine. I wouldn't worry about the color. Time will blend it all together.

[snag]

Thanks guys. I'll take it slow with that right fade area and sand it up, round off the edges of the limbs, check the tiller and stain and put a bunch of layers of Tru-oil on it and start shooting it!

[Mark Smeltzer]

From the looks of the second picture you are still on a long string and not at even a low brace. As you get the bow to brace ht. with a shorter string more stress will be transferred to the outer limbs. I would suggest you get it to a low brace, the advice above may very well be correct but you won't know for sure while you are still using a long string.

Mark

[snag]

Sounds reasonable. This is a step I might have skipped. Thanks Mark.

[okie64]

I agree with Mark. Get it on a short string and the mid and outer limbs could open up a lot more. Is the top limb longer than the bottom one?

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I thought it was on the short string in the last pic? If not, it sure has me fooled.

Your just about there Dave, just hit that flat area and you can start shooting it without putting finish on it.
You can shoot it for awhile and see how it feels, because you may decide that it's too heavy and wanna take it down some more?
It doesn't need a finish on it to be able to shoot it all you want to. That's just for weather proofing, and to keep it looking nice.

[okie64]

Get it on a short string and get it tillered out farther. The tiller can change a lot going from 20" on a long string to 28" on a short string.

[PEARL DRUMS]

The poundage will jump up alot too. Those pics are deceiving to me, it looks like it has a fairly short string already.

[Mark Smeltzer]

Yea, I think it is a fairy short string but the difference between a fairly short string and a braced bow is a bunch. I do it that way, I only use a long string for a very short time and then move to the shortest string I can get on it without actually bracing or a very low brace. I think the long string  is deceptive.
Check out the thread" A little Tilller Help Please"
And I agree the poundage will Jump.
Mark

[traditionalman]

A friend of mine uses a squeeze clamp to hold bow center and in place. Attach to bottom of your bow holder and to the top of the bow. Works great and Harbor Friegt has the clamps cheap.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I agree completely Mark. Last bow I tillered was only on the long string for a short time and at the suggestion of others I made a string for it the right length and just didn't twist it very much. Got a low 6" brace and it showed me alot that I couldn't see with the long string even when I shortened up the long string.

I realize that I had been tillering on the long string for way too long on my first few bows.

[Mark Smeltzer]

I learned the hard way, that was the reason my first two bows came out whip tillered. I stayed on the long string too long.

[hova]

i dont use a long string technically at all. i start with floor tiller , and go right to snug string. once i get it bent to 6" i low brace and go to town.


i have had two tree blow ups though , so you still have to be careful not to rush it.

just listen to what your wood is telling you...


-hov
:lol: