Sanding

[ranger 3]

How muck tillering can be done with a orbital sander on a Osage stave bow?

[John Scifres]

How patient are you?

[psychmonky]

Never tried, but I would think the problem would come in knowing how much more you are sanding one limb than the other.

I know that if I just want to reduce weight evenly I can take 10 scrapes off of each limb with a scraper, but I don't know how to gauge that with an orbital.

The same holds true if I want to take more off of one than the other, say 10 scrapes on top and 15 off of the bottom limb. Im not sure how I would do that with a sander.

All that being said, im not very good at tillering yet, so other guys can probably get pretty dang accurate with a sander.

[4est trekker]

If you've got a pair of scissor, a pocket or hunting knife, etc. laying about the house, you've got a ready-made scraper that will work MUCH faster with more control and less dust than a sander.  In fact, knock the rivet or screw out of the scissors to separate the blades.  Now you've go two scrapers...you'll be making osage curls in no time!

[okie64]

I agree with the other guys. A scraper is much faster and you have control of how much wood you're takin off. I use a palm sander for the last couple of inches but thats about it. By that time the bow is pretty much tillered anyways and im just smoothing everything out and knocking off any tool marks. I still use a hunting knife and a pocket knife for all my scraping.

[Roy from Pa]

I use an orbital sander as I get closer to final tiller. Use it   like the scraper, counting passes up and down the limb. It leaves the belly nice and smooth.

[ranger 3]

I have about 5" to go and I have been using a pair of scissors and I am trying to have less set when finished. It seems when I get this close is when I start getting set, I exercise the limbs well after scraping.

[George Tsoukalas]

I don't know your level of experience. For your first few you are better off using hand tools. I've known some excellent bowyers who've used random orbit sanders. Jawge