New hickory pyramid string slightly off center

[Vgo750]

Well after my last maple pyramid attempt popped a huge splinter I went to the lumber yard and picked up an immaculately grained hickory board and here is where I'm at:
specs:
     - 66" Tip to tip
     - 2 1/2" fades straight taper to 1/2" tips
     - 7/16" thickness till last 6" of tips where it thickens up a bit
Front
 
Side
 
40@16
 

Due to all of my previous bows not bending enough at the fades I really focused on that area from the start, and so far I am pleased with the bend.  Here is where it gets iffy.
First brace...kind of.  The brace was just enough that the string was maybe a 1/2" off the riser.  String is a solid 1/4" off center.  I did search the forum some and found that several people found off center string when they came up to much fuller braces and it was a strength difference between the limbs.  I'm not sure I'm even braced enough to bring out a limb strength difference.  Is this a situation I will have to apply heat to and just bend the limb a 1/2"?
 
As always, thank you very much for any help!

[John Scifres]

Cut your nocks on the left hand side (as pictured above) a little deeper.  It's always a good idea to leave the tips a little wide to allow for this.

[John Scifres]

[Vgo750]

I think this pic will show what im talking about better.  When looking down the bow, the bottom limb looks like it curves to the right.  

 

[Art B]

Looks like you may need to do a little straightening in the handle area. Some are going to tell you to leave it to make your bow more center shot but that's just masking another problem.

The way you're holding your bow in the last photo is the best way I've found to check for string alignment. Look down the bow from each end and you want to see the tip line up perfect with the center of the handle. Do this from both ends. Make corrections as needed. Settle for nothing less but perfect alignment for best bow performance....Art B

[John Scifres]

Looks worse in that pic.  I agree with Art.

[Black Mockingbird]

Looks like you didn't lay it out straight...with boards I snap a chalk line from end to end and lay my bow out from that line,and like john said lay out your tips wider to start with so you can make a small adjustment if needed...then narrow them down after the bows braced and you know exactly where the string lies

[Vgo750]

when you say straighten the handle area do you mean apply heat to the handle area and bend at the handle?  Or apply heat to the bottom limb and bend the limb?

[John Scifres]

I would spread the correction out along the whole limb.  Are you familiar with using a heatgun for correction?  Should be pretty straightforward for that small amount of bend.

[Vgo750]

I am familiar with the concept but have never done it.  I do have a heat gun though.  Also, my rise is glued on with TBIII so I will have to avoid breaking that bond there.  Would you heat entire bottom limb and bend with clamps 1/4" on top and then repeat 1/4" on top?  I'm saying 1/2" total because i figured boucne back will be about 1/4".

[John Scifres]

That sounds about right.  Make sure you use a caul or you might twist the limbs.  A simply one made from a 2x4 with a slight reflex will allow you to straighten the whole thing.  Definitely stay away from the handle.  Here's a pic of a simple caul I made.

 

[John Scifres]

http://sticknstring.webs.com/fixit.htm

Pics don't seem to want to come up right now.  Here's the website:   http://sticknstring.webs.com/fixit.htm

[Art B]

Ideally, you would want to straighten where it needs it. That may not be the case here. Limbs are to wide near handle to get much movement so do as John suggested and heat to whole limb. Get it good and hot, but not to the point of scorching. Over-correct and bring back to straight. I'll stay right there once cooled. A very simple procedure once you've done it a time or two. Good luck...........Art B

[Black Mockingbird]

Since its only your second bow I guess any route you take will be a learning experience,and no wrong way to go as far as that's concerned....Arts suggestion to make it dead center is the best...BUT as he said some will tell you its OK to leave it be as long as the string lies within the handle..and it will be fine..and seeing how you have a lot of width in the handle yet you can move your layout to the string,and would be a MUCH easier fix for your experience level and you'd be able to continue on right away...every side of bow making and which route you decide to take is up to you and each has its own pros n cons...yes using a heat gun can be easy but also can do harm to the wood if not done right and might even be more risk trying to straighten a wide board with heat then just moving your handle layout lines over to the string...in my opinion since your string is only 1/4" plus off and you have the option of moving your layout due to the current handle width is the easier and prob better solution for you.... because tillering needs to be your number one focus right now anyways...and adding thus or that and trying to learn more than one thing at a time can be distracting from the more important issues at hand that still need to be learned...plus I'm sure you'll learn and be making more anyways...

[Vgo750]

I really do have a lot of width at the fades...i was actually thinking i might shed a bit of width from the whole board...If I were to move my handle layout over a 1/4" to the left would i then have to shave 1/4" off the right side of the full length of the board to make the layout symmetrical again? Which would end up leaving me at 2.25" at the fades instead of 2.5"? Am i understanding correctly?

[Vgo750]

Well let me rephrase...i would take 1/4" off the right side of the  8" handle section and then remark my right limb taper for the new 2.25" fade to the current 1/2" tips...would be a small difference in taper but would still be a diff

[Roy from Pa]

Looking at it like this, it wouldn't take much movement at the handle to align it up. A little heat right at the handle may be your easiest and first option. Maybe thin the handle down closer to the finished design first to reduce the thickness there.

   

[Vgo750]

My riser is glued on w TB3...wouldnt heat at the handle break the bond?

[Art B]

Not necessarily. But you don't have to get it all that hot to get some movement there. Get your handle worked down as RoyBob suggested and give it a try. Worse comes to worse your handle pops off and you have to glue it back on.

At some point in your bow making career you're going to have to learn to manipulate your wood so why not get all the hard stuff done up front, and then all the rest will easy after that :-). Good luck.......Art B

[Vgo750]

Alright gentlemen im going to take the plunge tonight and heat it straight...i feel like this is going to be huge event tonight lol... I will update later.