Reading a gizmo?

[Roy from Pa]

LOL

[Walt Francis]

Originally posted by Pat B:
I use a Gizmo mostly for difficult cases. Most everything else I do by eye. The Gizmo is a great tool but it is not a crutch.

X2

Regarding tiller induced limb twist, I have always pinched both sides of the limb and run them from the riser to the tip.  It seemed obvious to me that the sides usually need to be the same thickness.  I pinch and check constantly throughout the tillering process.  Once you do it few times it becomes easy to tell any difference from one side of the limb to the other.  When I started teaching others to build self bows I quickly realized it isn’t obivious to most of the first time selfbow builders I teach, they struggle with keeping both sides even.  Usually they have a dominate side (right or left) and apply more pressure to that side of the limb, thus removing more wood on one side and inducing limb twist.

[Walt Francis]

Originally posted by Pat B:
I use a Gizmo mostly for difficult cases. Most everything else I do by eye. The Gizmo is a great tool but it is not a crutch.

X2

Regarding tiller induced limb twist, I have always pinched both sides of the limb and run them from the riser to the tip.  It seemed obvious to me that the sides usually need to be the same thickness.  I pinch and check constantly throughout the tillering process.  Once you do it few times it becomes easy to tell any difference from one side of the limb to the other.  When I started teaching others to build self bows I quickly realized it isn’t oblivious to most of the first time selfbow builders I teach, they struggle with keeping both sides even.  Usually they have a dominate side (right or left) and apply more pressure to that side of the limb, thus removing more wood on one side and inducing limb twist.

[Eric Krewson]

John, you are over thinking the gizmo thing, pencil moved? got shorter? Too many variables? Yikes!

[John Malone]

Eric, happens every time i learn to use something new. I'm starting to get used to it. I'm weird like that. I'm the guy who checks his level and tape measure and square for true every morning or at lunch just in case.

[fujimo]

the gizmo is quick- way quicker than measuring- i used to measure before i was let into the gizmo secret.
besides as said above, the gizmo doesnt lie.

one word of caution with a tillering stick, i strongly advocate against using them- having a wood bow under tension( the longer the draw length the worse it is) while you study it- will lead to increased set- and in a few cases i have seen hickory bows blow up- while people sit there and take their time.
i won't use them anymore - just an unnecessary risk.

each to their own i guess- many ways to skin a cat!    

[Msturm]

Hey Fuji!  How do you use a gizmo without holding the bow under tension for a while?  A tiller stick or a pulley system seems like you would need to hold it there to run the gizmo up and down each limb. (I have never used a gizmo though.  I do something similar with my card scraper and eyeball the gap.

Msturm

[darin putman]

John one thing Eric taught me about the gizmo and probably the hardest to do is to trust the gizmo. Eric taught me how to build bows, but as I continue building the gizmo has actually taught me what proper tiller looks like. I just leave the last 6 to 8 inch of the tips stiff depending on the bow/my mood and get it bending a little out of the fades. The gizmo tells me what to do in between. I have messed up more bows than I like to admit but none was the gizmos fault. It's simple but very effective.