I glued up a hickory backed red oak bow with some r/d. After I took the clamps off the limbs they were a perfect match. I glued my handle section in place and started some minor tillering. After a few scrapes here and there I lost almost an inch on one limb. Now I have an upper limb with a good 5/8" additional reflex. I have scraped that limb down to at least .050-.06 less than the other, it almost looks funny. I still cant get that extra reflex out. Any ideas? (http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m518/chrislovesjean/000_0098.jpg?t=1296173664) (http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m518/chrislovesjean/000_0099.jpg?t=1296173664)
Ya got pictures? If you are early in the tillering process, I wouldn't worry too much about it yet. How far have you pulled it?
Roy I dont even have a short string on it yet. I can have my wife snap a pic while I hold it. Give me 15 minutes or so.
its been an hour ! what the crap man!
just kidding , but im interested to see what ya got
OF COURSE you post em right as i post...lol... looks ok to me so far , but im not an r/d person so wait fo someone with experience.
-hov
Wifey snapped the photos on a slight angle, you can still see the right limb is higher. First pic is at rest, second pic has 20# or so pulling.
I wouldn't worry too much about it yet, until you get further into the tillering because you may end up tillering some more out of it.
Also you could make the one with more reflex your positive limb.
The positive limb thought crossed my mind. I wasnt sure if that was a cheating way to get a postive tiller, or an easy way? The right limb is noticeably thinner already.
Chris, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that bow so far. But the very first thing you need to do is throw away that long tillering string with the leather cups on the end. Burn it, or cut it into tiny pieces:) Then cut in your string grooves on the limb tips, and go with a real bow string in those string grooves. Make a string that is extra long and when you string that bow, you want the string to lay tight smack dab againist the belly of the bow.
Now for the profile of the bow, the top limb is now stronger than the bottom limb, according to your super long bad idea tillering string:) But the way it looks in your pictures, it needs work first, take wood off of it to get it bending more in the mid limb area. But after you go with a real bow string in the string grooves, I promise you, the profile will change. You have not lost reflex dude, it's just that the long tillering string isn't a good idea.
But here is a picture of what the bow needs according to the long string. However I would get a real string on her before you do anything. OH and 1 more thing Chris, when you first lay your bow in the tree cradle, you want it to lay level. So the belly side of the mid limbs are an equal distance above your pencil line you have there on your back ground. If they are not, sand your belly side of your handle till they are.
(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f165/ROY-CHRIS/achrisbow.jpg)
I'd stay away from the inner limbs. They are already deflexed. The fade area has the most stress because of the leverage of the limbs so for now at least stay away from the inner limbs and get the rest of the limb bending to follow the deflex of the handle.
I made the string for it last night. The leather cup string is burned Roy, or will be. I generally use it for the inital bending, just to see how the limbs are doing before I start anything. Its level in the cradle and level to the lines, I should be good there. I will put my real string on it tonight and see what I see. Thanks a ton for the advice Roy and Pat, more pics to come!
Those reflex bows are tuff Chris. You need to get the reflex to bend out of the limbs first. Once they begin to bend, then tiller like any other bow. Just be careful of the fades like Pat said, stay away from them. Use the tillering gizmo also.
Will do, I love that doctored pic you made, very helpful!
Pearl Drums,
I hear that Roy's second favorite thing is crayons and this way he can do both of this favorite activities. Color and Bows. Just funnin roy don't come all the way over here just to slap me. LOL
Kelly
I can tell you for sure he is a MUCH better bowyer that color'er! MY 4 year old nephew can color better! LOL!!!!!!!!
OK Girls, it goes like this. I have this list here of those who are gonna get a good arse thumpen from an old man. Kelly your name is at the top, and Pearly Boy, yer number 2 son:)
LOL, but anyways Chris, them reflex wood bows are tuff. And you need to get the reflex bending out of the limbs first. Now that will not happen till you have the limb tips bending to about 8 or 9 inches. Pretty much where the bow will be at a brace height of about 6.5 inches. I don't remove too much wood from the bow till I get it bending to my brace height. Then I shorten the string and brace the bow at 6 to 6.5 inches. That's when I get serious. Then I work the bow on down the tree to one inch more of draw above my brace height, the whole way down to my final draw length. I pull the bow 30 times to each inch of draw, and lock it down at those draw lengths after 30 times, and run the gizmo down the limbs. Then I remove wood from where the gizmo makes the lines. Work slow and think about the whole process, and before ya know it Chris, you will have a nice bow. If it blows up, blame Kelly:)
Hey roy I truely like your drawnings, but if you have seen my pics and think I am a girl. I am not going to the gentlmens club with you! :scared:
I bet I can run faster scared than you can mad. :knothead:
Heck blame me then get back on the bow horse and start over by the time that one is finished you will forget whom to blame or be to tired to do anything about til you get some rest. :jumper:
Happy building gents,
Kelly
Roy I am right were the "get serious" part starts. I have about a 3-4" brace now and Im 50# @ 22" with that low brace. I want 58-60# @ 29.5. Once I get my tips working better I will take another pic and post it. As far as the butt kickin goes? Im waiting for Kelly to get back then we can gang up........and maybe win......? Thanks for the tips Roy!
OUCH Chris, if your pulling it to 22 inches, get it at a 6.5 brace height now. Once my limb tips are bending to 9 or 10 inches, " which is where they will be if braced at 6.5 inches ", I brace the bow at 6.5 and continue to tiller to my final draw length.
Kelly doesn't scare me, I've jumped over guys twice his size just to get to a good fight:) LOL, Howdy Kelly Ole Boy..
Done deal. It finished at 58# @ 29", perfect-o! I want 52-55# once its shot in and finish sanded. The bottom limb is still about a 1/2 behind my upper limb at brace, but once it get's to 18-20" of draw they even right out and look alright. Its my first r/d tiller job, not my last! I see my mid limb isnt bending nearly enough on either side, strange how easy it is to see on a pic, but hard when Im standing in front of it. (http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m518/chrislovesjean/000_0102-1.jpg?t=1296401026)
Yes pictures makes it easier to see the problems. Now it's like this Chris, it doesn't look real good. You see right outside of both fades how much it is bending? And then look at the limbs, they are both flat. Your going to miss your intended draw weight by a lot, but you need to take wood off both mid limbs. And USE THE TILLERING GIZMO...
Pearl durms stay off them fades at all cost.
Word of caution tough listen to Ray Stevens Ballot of the Blue Cyclone before you invite other to your fun.
Roy I never jumped over any biggins to get to a good rumble they were always warm up. Heck I ain't big at all. That whole size of the dog thing ya know.
I put up some pic on my thread you can make all up if ya want though.
Kelly
Those fades kinda sorta seriously scare me...
I took ALOT more off mid limb, tip's and got the limbs bending much better. I lost about 6-8#. I have shot it least 50 times and it shoots good. Its quiet, feels decent in hand and chucks a 50-55 cedar straight and fairly hard. I am going to shoot it for a week to see what happens, if all is well I will stain it and seal it. I have a hickory backed hickory read for glue now! ;)
Pearl could you post some more PICs of it please.
Yup, I will have one of the boys snap one. It is what it is now, I dont need another 35# laying around. If it breaks while shooting it in due to poor tiller.....I will build another! (http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m518/chrislovesjean/000_0104.jpg?t=1296418345)
It does look a little better, but I'm sure you see what we are talking about by now. If you glued on a handle section and the limbs are bending close into the handle, the glue joint could pop loose, not saying it will, but might. Shoot it and have fun and make another. I finish one bow and jump right into making another bow, cause I love it..
I've built my share of 35 pounders in the past:) Wish we lived closer Chris, I'd learn ya how it's done. It looks to me like you are not working slow enough. Once I get my bow braced at 6.5 inches. I run the gizmo up and down the limbs, looking for serious flat spots. Then I pull the bow on the tree 30 times to 8 inches of draw, then I pull it to 8 inches and lock it there and run the gizmo up and down both limbs. Take it off the tree and scrape the lines off that the gizmo put on. Then back on the tree for another 30 times of pulling. If all looks fairly ok, I'll pull it 30 times to 9 inches, lock it down and run the gizmo on the limbs. Take it off the tree and scrape off the lines the gizmo put on. Back on the tree for another 30 times and then gizmo it. Then on the tree another 30 times to 10 inches, then lock it down and gizmo it. I do this for every inch of draw down to my final draw length. I pull a bow prolly 700 to 800 times in the tillering process.
Sure Kelly post a mug shot. I'll draw some pretty things on it and post it back here. LOL:)
Slow? Never heard of it. Its my BIGGEST problem. I have one gear and always learn backwards, been that way for 38 years! Roy SW PA cant be too far from CTL MI can it?
lol not falling for that one roy. I was saying I got some PIC up on my thread.
How many times do you scrap it?
If the had pops off you can just glue on a longer on I would think and help stop the hinge.
Kelly
I'll scrape the line off and then maybe 5 or 6 more scrapes across the whole belly width scraping from riser towards limb tips, making sure the limb thickness is the same on both long edges. Then you have to excerise the bow 30 times.
A longer handle will not work, it will pop off for sure. Ah come on Kelly, post a mug shot, how much worse could I make it look? LOL:)