Tiller help/advice. New question?/ final pics

[ffdiggs]

So I made it this far, could use some advice/critique. I think the lower limb (left) is looking pretty good, but the upper limb (right) is a little stiff two thirds out. But that is also where the knot and knot hole are. Also got a little propeller twist forming at the knot, don't know if I should thin that area any more to make it bend, and maybe heat bend the twist out. Check out the pics and let the comments fly. I've braced it at 5" and pulling 50lbs. at 26", and also got brace to 6" still pulling 50lbs at 26". I did quite a bit of straightening to this and put in on a caul and heated 3" reflex into it.Lower limb took and kept it pretty good, upper limb not as well, but thats the limbs with all the knots                              

[ffdiggs]

[mwosborn]

I am certainly not a tillering expert - but I have made a few.  It appears to me to be bending a bit too much out of the fades for a stiff handled bow.  Outer 1/3 seem to be a bit stiff.  If it was mine I would work that area a bit.  The knot poses a challenge for sure.  The pic with the oval for reference might help give some perspective on how the limbs are bending.

Are you using a gizmo?  I would highly recommend making/using one.

 
 ffdiggs  by  mwosborn1 , on Flickr

[ffdiggs]

Thanks mwosborn, i do have a gizmo, i'm still learning to be proficient with it. The oval is a great visual, thanks for that. So if I work the outer thirds a little more should that relieve the bends at the fades? i'm assuming my goal is to have a circle rather than a oval? And what program did you use to put the oval in the pic?

[mwosborn]

Actually with a parallel limb bow you generally want a more elliptical bend with the tips (4-6") a bit stiff.  As to what to do...depends on what you want to end with.  If you are trying for 50# @26 you are there.  Any wood removal now will reduce weight.  You will also most likely sand and finish it up so you will lose a little weight there to.

Have you shot it yet?  If it shoots ok and you like it then I would stop.  If you don't mind losing some weight and you want to work on the tiller I would use the gizmo to help me determine the spots - to me it look like were the oval is touching the limbs.  Set your gizmo so it is just shy of touching at the deepest part of the bend and then run it up & down the limb - it will mark the flatter spots. (do this at your 26")  Then slowly remove some wood and recheck, exercising limbs in between with 20-30 smooth pulls on your tree.

BTW - I would try to avoid leaving the bow pulled to 26" for any length of time.

Where are all the experts at?  We could use some more options here!  

[Art B]

Best thing you can do at this point is get the bow in your hands and check your tiller in front of a mirror. First thing you'll notice is a profile change. It's probably going to show more pear shaped than you like with that bottom limb coming round more and that stiff area mid-limb of the upper. Adjust tiller from there........Art

[ffdiggs]

My goal is 50# at 28", right now I am at 48# at 27", did a little more fine tuning with the gizmo. still stiff around the knot, and knot whole. Don't think that is going to change. Still have a slight propeller twist in that area. It twists towards the knot whole. I will try to remedy that by sanding at the opposite side, that way I don't remove to much at one time. I think it looks pretty good for my first bow from a stave, it seems to shoot the arrows pretty good with no hand shock and the string runs true to center. Added a few more pics with full draw included and tried both limbs at top and bottom. I think I will make the limb with the knot the top, less stress on it during usage if I'm not wrong. Let me know what you think, and thanks for advice. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and God bless you all and your Families.      

[mwosborn]

I think it looks pretty good in your hands - and your right at your weight goal - and it shoots well with no hand shock - I agree with you, I would call it good and start sanding.

[Pat B]

Put 100 arrows through it and check tiller again. Looks pretty good in the last pic.

[T Callahan]

Looks good to me. Very nice bow!

[ron w]

   

[ffdiggs]

ot a question, after getting the bow tillered and shooting some arrows, I sanded, and burnished the bow . After stringing her back up my tiller is way out of wack. Is that normal?

[fujimo]

the biggest lesson i learnt on this site, is that i tiller the last 10 pounds or so in front of a mirror, or get my wife to take pictures, with me drawing it of course!.
i use a dummy arrow, i check the draw length for my desired  weight on the tiller tree( never ever drawing over my desired finished weight) then put some masking tape around the arrow- so that i dont over draw. and when i am about an inch away from my desired draw length, then i start sanding- that gives me about 3 lbs of drawweight to lose in final sanding.- and i plan to lose about 5# in the shooting in , so i always build them about 5 # heavier.
oh and all my final tillering - last 10# or so , is done with a cabinet scraper- slowly and carefully- and vleaves a better finish - so i dont lose too much in final sanding.

thats just waht works for me- aint preachin'!!!

one other thing- i saw someone mentioned it  before= but if it were me, i would not be leaving that thing pulled up on the tiller tree while i take photos- just seen too many bows break- or take on excessive set- with that prolonged stress, i use a pulley at the bottom of my tree, with a longish rope, so that i can stand back aways and get a good perspective- and if i really want to take a picture on the tree- i get someone else to do it, while i pull it, then let it down asap- no more than a second or two at full draw for me      

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks very good. You did well. Remember that big/knot hole should not be bending much and it is not. Nicely done. Jawge

[Pat B]

The drawn bow will look different on the tiller tree than it does when drawn by hand. Go with how it looks drawn by hand!

[John Scifres]

Shooting a bow in will definitely let you know where tiller really is.  You should shoot at least 100 arrows, more is better and then final tiller drawing it by hand.  Good looking tiller isn't always the best and if it shoots weird after getting a nice looking tiller, something is whacky.  Shoot it in and mark on the bow where you are pulling it (string hand)and where you are holding it (bow hand).  Then put it back on the tiller tree accordingly.

[ffdiggs]

Well did a little more work on it tiller got away from me a bit, but I think I have it as good as I'm gonna get it. Gonna stop while I'm ahead. Shot 100 arrows through it seems to shoot good, no hand shock. Not the prettiest thing but It will do for my first one. Gonna shoot a few more arrows then put a finish on it. Here are my final full draw pics  

[ffdiggs]

Got more exercise on this than I imagined, Had to chase a single ring (more than once), then chased the tiller back and forth from limb to limb. Boy am I tired, last time I chased something this much I married her. LOL

[red hill]

Final tiller looks pretty good to me, Warren. We'll done.

[Pat B]

That tiller looks good to me.