Author Topic: Tillering help...Red Oak Board Bow (Read 1097 times)

SportHunter · « **on:** July 21, 2011, 01:15:00 PM »

Hello TG, this is my third attempt at a self bow.

I had the first one (1x2 plain sawn) shooting but piked two times to raise weight and raised a splinter then cracked a limb along the hinge that formed. This bow had twisted tips and I got carried away trying to fix the tip twist and lost weight in the process and generally compromised the bow structure in the process.

The second bow (1x3 rift sawn pyramid styla ala 4est trekkers build along) taught me about pin knots and now sits in two pieces after being very close to shooting.

So here is the third attempt. This started as a rough cut quarter sawn red oak board I picked up from a cabinet makers shop. It is 67'' NTN 68 overall with walnut and brazilian cherry tips. The nocks are Grumley style brush nocks since I tried them on the second bow and like the way they look. This time was much easier to craft the nocks.

This bow is similar to a pyramid bow but the limbs are one width (2 3/4'' to start/now 2 5/8'') for about 8 inches after the fades then tapering to 1/2 nocks from there. The Handle is 4 1/4'' inches with 2 1/8'' fades for a total of 8.5''

So far no creaks and I have it tillered to 38@22''. Shooting for low 50's @ 28'' Hoping to get this one all the way to the finish stage.

Any tillering advise/opinions would be appreaciated. I started with 1/2 thick limbs and work from the fades to about 12'' from the ends. Should I start to work the ends more now?

I have been using the gizmo and built the tillering tree as well thanks to all the build alongs here on TG.

Here are a few pics

Drawn to 21''

Drawn to 20''

SportHunter · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2011, 01:32:00 PM »

Here are a few more pics

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2011, 01:54:00 PM »

Mid limb on the right is a touch stiff. Nice brush nocks.

fish n chicks · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2011, 03:19:00 PM »

Very nice SH! Those nocks are sweet. I agree with PD. You might wanna scrape a bit from mid limb to your recurve on the right limb. Good score on the quartersawn. I'm looking forward to seeing her shoot and finished.

razorback · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2011, 06:51:00 PM »

looks good except for the afforementioned mid limb. Love the oak board bows and those are great nocks.

KellyG · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2011, 06:57:00 PM »

nice nocks and fish would know he is pretty good himself at those.
I take it slow and think about what you need to do and that is going to be a very nice bow and if it shoots half as good as it looking then Wow keeper for sure.

SportHunter · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2011, 07:14:00 PM »

Thanks guys, I'm trying to take this last part slow so I can hopefully get a shooter.. I will scrape on the right limb tomorrow morning before the temps get back up. We had a 113deg heat index today...too hot! Thanks for helping, I'll post some more pics after working on it some more.

SportHunter · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2011, 09:59:00 AM »

Here it is after 20 scrapes from mid limb to couple inches from tip.

Here was the process:

5 scrapes, 20 pulls-rest-20 pulls rest. (x 4)
got it pulling to 24 inches now.

didn't lose any weight from yesterday 38@22

Are you guys still seeing a stiff mid limb on the right? Drawn pic is to 20''

I tried to take a more straight on photo today at the same elevation as the bow.

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2011, 11:25:00 AM »

Still stiff. Have a look at that mid limb point only and you will see it is flat with almost no bend. Get a Gizmo and check it, it will show up for you in pencil led.

SportHunter · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2011, 02:02:00 PM »

After much more work here are a few more photos.
Photo of the bow unstrung right after my session working the limbs.

Braced

Drawn to 22''

I worked it to 27'' buy using the gizmo with the bow pulled to 16'', then later to 20'' then later to 22'' and quickly marking the limbs unbracing and scraping and again and again etc. Felt like I figured it out finally, what do you guys think now? I still have some work to do but I think its getting close.

New draw weight is coming in at 37lbs at 24'' so I think it will end up in the 40's somewhere.

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2011, 02:11:00 PM »

Nice! If you stop now you should be darn close to mid 40's @ 28" after shoot in and sanding. Pull her right to your target draw and see what you get on your scale.

Roy from Pa · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2011, 02:41:00 PM »

Very nice now.

SportHunter · « **Reply #12 on:** July 22, 2011, 02:56:00 PM »

I think I'll to do some finish sanding and work on the handle & finish next week. I appreciate the input and will post more pics when the bow is complete. Thanks!

SportHunter · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2011, 02:01:00 PM »

Well gents, here are the results of going for the final inch in draw weight on the tillering tree BREAK!!! I heard a very quiet tick when it got to 27 then I let it rest for a few seconds. I tried to work it up slowly to 28 and got it there but it snapped on the tillering tree in quite a violent manner. Real happy I wasn't pulling the string myself.

Here are a few pics of this bow and the other two I mentioned in the opening of this thread. So far wood is winning this battle 3-0

Still I'm learning alot and it is getting easier but it would be great if I could get a shooter soon.

Thanks for the help, time to look for some more wood, maybe a stave this time. When I finally get one built you guys will be the first to know.

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #14 on:** July 24, 2011, 02:34:00 PM »

Oops. You know what I say, SportHunter.
There is a buildalong on my site. Make sure the grain is straight on your next board. From what I can see the grain looked pretty good on your last one.
"Still I'm learning alot and it is getting easier but it would be great if I could get a shooter soon."
The stick with simple. Leave the bow 1.5" wide for low 50 poundage or rip it too 1 3/8" fo 45-50#. Let the handle bend. No glued on pieces. Leave the handle full width. Follow the buildalong on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/boardbowbuildalong.html

Aznboi3644 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 24, 2011, 07:27:00 PM »

could you take a better picture of the bow break of the middle bow??

Its hard to tell but the board looks as if it may have been cut from a twisted tree. How was the side grain?

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #16 on:** July 24, 2011, 08:22:00 PM »

Get yourself a stave and to heck with board grain. Boards make decent bows, Ive made plenty. But finding the right board is a pain in the batoot. Get yourself a stave and get a shooter on your next try.

SportHunter · « **Reply #17 on:** July 24, 2011, 09:21:00 PM »

Yeah, PD I think the next roll of the dice is on a stave, probably from ****. I plan on cutting some soon but they won't be ready to work for awhile and I'm wanting to get a few bows ready for the field by hunting season. I have plenty of other bows but I'd really like to hunt this fall with a self bow.

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2011, 09:13:00 AM »

Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. Boards are quite viable. Take a look at the stacks as you shop and you'll find a suitable board. Be picky. Another good option is the sapling bow and whitewoods are good choices for those. Keep looking for a board as you wait for the sapling to dry. I can continue on the sapling bows if you are interested. Jawge

PEARL DRUMS · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2011, 10:33:00 AM »

Im not bashing boards George. Its just hard to find good ones sometimes is all. I tend to stick with hickory if I get a board itch, even a so-so hickory board will hold together for you.

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Author Topic: Tillering help...Red Oak Board Bow (Read 1097 times)

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