Where/how to get started.

[Chester Thompson]

Ok with money being tight I decided to try and finish the bow stave that I won from Chuck at Two Tracks.

I am at work and don't have pictures right now but I can provide them tonight. I have tired to read a lot of the  post here and a lot of ends up being stuff that I don't understand because I have never do it.

I think that a lot of the basic shaping has been done and all that I really need to do is tiller the weight down to where I need it. How do I go about doing that and what tools do I need? Are there any good links or walkthroughs video's that you can point me to that have accurate not to technical info? I can't afford to buy any books or vidoe's right now and the local libraries are not any help.

I have a belt sander, files and rasps at home, and I have a few cabinet marker friends that I can borrow some tools from.

Thanks so much,

Chester

[No-sage]

I'm sure Chuck will chime in here and be glad to help.

What type of a blank is it?  Fiberglass backed or a selfbow, natural backed bow?

That info would be required to give you any good info.

[Chester Thompson]

It is a Hickory Backed Osage. Sorry I even knew that was important to tell.

[dutchwarbow]

grab a nice rasp, file, scraper and chainsawfile(for nocks) and you'll be ready for this adventure.

nick

[Chester Thompson]

What is a scraper? Can I find one at a local hardware store or it is specialty item?

[Dano]

Here's a link for cabinet scrapers.

http://woodworker.com/scraper-blades-mssu-810-145.asp

[Chester Thompson]

I finally got to get some pictures, so where do I start?

[Hermann From Bavaria]

is it floortillered already?

[Chester Thompson]

That I don't know really, please explain it more or ask for pictures of where and what I need to look for and I will provide them.

[2treks]

Good morning, I put 004/in. taper in the osage, so it is not floor tillered but it is close.
  Do you have a tiller stick and/or a tiller tree(w/rope&pully)?
  When I built my first self bow years ago, I had no clue on how to do it. so after much fretting and scratchin I decided to make my stick look like a bow. I had no help or books so that was my option. We lived in Montana at the time and I built it in our 16'x20' cabin with no bench/vise or sandpaper. only had a GIANT rasp.
  If you have access to wingnuts dvd that will give you a good lesson or maybe someone knows about the build alongs on tradgang.
  I have left some extra meat in the handle for you to customize your handle. you want to be very careful at the fade out area.(handle meets belly wood). Then produce a nice arc or bend from tip to tip. keep it a little stiffer in the handle area and maybe a little stiff for 4"-6" of tip. You may want to narrow the tip a bit (if you need to.) Hows it sound so far?
Chuck

[Chester Thompson]

No tiller tree or stick, but from what I have seen that should be pretty easy to make. I guess that I will just have to get started.

[Steve Kendrot]

Two things... You can't learn to swim till you jump in the pool, and chances are above average that you will ruin that bow. So quit worrying about it and learn what you can from doing it. Proceed slowly and take pictures. Folks here will steer you back on track.

[2treks]

Steve is a matter of fact guy eh? I like that. well said. I am sure that with the help the gangers will give, you will make a shootable bow. the talent on this site is tremedous.
 Keep us posted Chester, I gotta go mow my grass but I will be back.
Chuck

[Dano]

After ya get a tree built, I round the edges of the hickory before you start bending it too much. I'd put around a 1/4" round over.
Here's some plans for a tiller tree that Tim Flood put together a while back.