Pre-programmed string follow?

[Mulberry River]

Seems like tillering is coming along ok, but this stave has a bad case of string-follow already.  Can I remedy this with heat, steam and a good clamping setup for a couple days?  Any advice from you experienced guys?  This is my first self bow.  It was a well-seasoned white oak stave.  Right now it's pulling about 50# on the long string at about 15" of string travel.   Did I induce this somehow?  Help!

[poekoelan]

how much string follow does it have?

[Linc]

Are you on the long string or the short string? Sounds to me like you are on the long string and long drawing too early in the tillering stage.

There are a lot of determining factors. How moist the wood is,how long or short the working limbs are, overall bow length versus draw length,etc.

Trying to undo the string follow most likely won't do any good.Being your first bow,I would just keep on trucking and get a finished bow.

It would help if you put up some pics and we can see the follow.

You will get string follow anyway just because of the cells compressing on the belly.White wood bows are known for string follow.

[Eric Krewson]

You can reflex the bow and glue on a hickory backing strip. Your string follow will be gone but you will have to start over with your tillering.

[Jim now in Kentucky]

The historic view has been that once a bow has excessive string follow there's nothing you can do.

Some of are finding that doesn't always hold true. I acquired an old hickory flat bow that had a about 6 inches of string follow in the one limb it had been standing on in a drafty, moist shed for 30 years.

I steamed it straight, having nothing to lose, and it kept the new position to the  point that the bow has no string follow now. I have shot it quite a few sessions and it's fins.

I have also straightened several finished bows that took to much set. Cooked them thoroughly with a heat gun while slightly reflexed.

BUT, how much string follow are you talking about?  If it is a couple of inches, don't worry about it. Just shoot it.

[Mulberry River]

That's the answer I was looking for!  I think I've followed the correct plan in making this bow, but so far the back is arced such that the tips have about +/- 2" set to them.  I think I'll steam it straight, but should I do it now, or finish tillering it first?
Thanks so much for your help!
Danny

[Mulberry River]

Here's a couple pictures to give you an idea of the amount of "follow" in the limbs now.
 
 

[poekoelan]

What you have looks very normal to me. I wouldn't mess with it. How close is it to being done and shot in? If you don't end up with much more than you have now, I wouldn't worry about it. Some very knowledgable folks are finding out that string follow isn't as much of a cast robber as was once thought. Limb mass plays a very big role there.

[Mulberry River]

Oops; forgot to resize! Sorry!
 

 

Do these give you an idea of what I'm talking about?

[Linc]

Doesn't look bad to me.  Hoew close are you to a finished bow?

[Mulberry River]

I'm just guessing, since this is my first bow, but I'd say it's getting close to being finished.  It is about 3/8" thick at the nocks and maybe 5/8" at the fades and seems (to me) to have an excellent arc when pulled about 8 or 9" on the long string, which brings it to 55#.

[Jeremy]

Looks like most (all) of the set is right at the fades?  That's normally a good indication it's bending too much there, but that does give you options.

I'd probably get the rest of the limb working and then steam some reflex right at the handle/fade area.  A pic of the bending bow would be helpful...

[Mulberry River]

That could be right. I'll get some pix posted ASAP, which will be about 9 cdt tonight.  Meanwhile, check out the "recoil" in my (middle) grandson.  He caught it, but it was too "floppy" for him to touch!
 

[Linc]

[Jim now in Kentucky]

I agree with the above comments that the bow  looks like  it may come out a shooter without  messing around  with steaming. A  lot of folks  think  a  bow with a  little  string  follow is  more  forgiving than a bow with some  reflex.

[jdupre]

I would just go ahead and finish it out. I would be willing to bet it will make a fine shooter. If it shoots 3 or 4 feet a second less than a "perfect" bow, so what? It might even shoot the same as a slightly reflexed bow due to less limb mass, as mentioned earlier.

[Mulberry River]

Thanks, guys, but I broke it last night trying to string it with too much brace height.  Oh, well, I still have the other 1/2 of this stave to go!