I have attached the limbs to my 3 piece longbow build, and one is quite a bit more stiff than the other. I have some pics but not uploaded yet.
So, do I just start sanding down the belly to get the bow limbs more symmetrical? I read on here (tillering search) where glass should be removed from the belly.
Any tips would be helpful.
Brett
One thing I like to do is, with masking tape on the limbs, measure and mark every two inches on each limb. Then I measure the width at each of those marks and compare each of the limbs at the same marks. Make sure the limbs are the same before you go doing something you can't undo.
Tillering on glass bows are done from the sides mainly. Make sure they match a mcbowguy said.
You pretiller the thickness when to calculate the stack before glue up.
If both limbs are equal in stack height then getting them both the same width should bring them in line. I'd start by narrowing and rounding over the edges first on the stiff limb.
Mcbowguy's idea is sound and I would try that. might want to be sure the pad angles on the riser are the same as well, it is very easy to get off a couple of degrees unless you have some sort of jig to cut them. Don't ask how I know this.
It is a radically reflexed deflexed design? Some of those can have some vertical stability issues. With the bow strung if you grab the string and push up or pull down does the tiller reverse itself? Hope that makes sense.
X2 What Jess said.
Check your pad angles before you take material off the limbs.
I will check the limbs with my caliper to be sure they are symmetrical. I did just a little sanding and improved the tiller a lot.
Still need to cut and shape the riser....maybe soon I will be able to shoot this thing.
Just take your time and look and think it over, as said, pad angle and limb width are crucial.
One other thing I do is make sure you get the glass in order. If there is one a couple thou thick and one a couple thin, I don't wanna have the whole thick pc on say, the bottom limb cause that adds .004 to the bottom and takes .004 off the top limb.
When I cut glass for folks here, I tape each pc together as I cut em so they can keep em separate if they don't have calipers handy. (too late for this on this one)
Stay with her, it will come to ya! :thumbsup:
Kenny is right on. I always cut the glass for say the top limb, half from one strip and one from the other strip. I think it helps to even out any differences. I also mike them side to side and by flipping lams or glass over you can get the thickness very close to equal on each edge of the limb. It helps the limbs track straight, or it certainly can't hurt. Mike everything before glue up, yes I learned that the hard way through the years.
All good info already said. Checking the pad angles is pretty easy with two straight edges laid one on each side. For them to be perfect they must meet directly over the center line. If not the high side needs to be sanded to match the other.
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I messed up a bow this year by reversing one of my belly tapers which put the thick end at the nock. I set the bow aside for a couple months thinking it was wall art even before cutting in the nocks. I was bored one afternoon so I got the bow out and cut in the nocks strung it up and yep it was a mess. It wasn't just a little bit out of tiller it was way off. But within a couple hours I had it in perfect tiller and shooting awesome. It just took some careful planning on where to narrow the limbs and where to leave some width. Overall the draw weight dropped from what should have been a 55# bow to about 45# but it shoots smooth and it is not just wall art.
I share this just to say more can be done in tillering a glass bow than I thought possible.