floor tillering help

[gilbarbarian]

Started on a new stave, it is 62 1/2" long 1 3/8" at the fades.  I'm trying for a 65 to 70# hunting bow.  The stave has a little twist in it in the middle.  I'm trying to use Dean Torges' method this time.  The others I've done have had really flat bellies.  And I'm taking this one a lot slower.  Any advice on how much more to floor tiller?  

[Shaun]

First photo looks like a maybe hinge near your right outside pant leg with a slight flat spot just below it (part with your pant leg behind it). Other limb looks better with some flat in the middle (part in front of left pant leg). Once I get some bend in full limb, I usually do work on the cull to align limbs and induce some backset before continuing to tiller. Nice clean looking piece of osage, should make a fine bow. Keep us posted.

[gilbarbarian]

thanks Shaun, sounds like a good reason to go to the store to build a caul.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I short brace it when the limbs move 3-4" on the floor. Try running the limb down the side of your leg rather, you can spy down it that way and see flat spots.

[bigcountry]

I floor tiller to get a good bend as if it was strung.  

And just to get it strung.  I rarely put em on short string.  My goal is to get it short braced strung.

Its might be difficult to get a 70# bow out of 1 3/8".  I have had luck with 1 3/4" for heavy bows.  Last one looked great at over 62# with 1 3/4" but I figured out I don't like that heavy of a bow.

[gilbarbarian]

built a caul
built a hot box to keep the bow around 100 degrees
inside the box

It is bending at about 53# at 24" so I should have a mid 60's# at 28" right?




Should I heat this up again to put the reflex back and straighten the string alignment?

[John Scifres]

Definitely straighten again so your string is near to the center of the handle.   Unless you temper the belly, the reflex is probably gone.  Tiller is Ok but the inner third on the lower limb needs to bend more.  You should hit your weight.

[gilbarbarian]

Thanks John I'll give it a try.  Is that inner third your talking about coming right off the fade?

[gilbarbarian]

Got to work on my bow with the help of Dave (DVSHUNTER) and Chris (h8noncubs).  Learned a lot and really appreciate the help and time they spent explaining.


It took about two inches of reflex

Got rid of some of the bend in it too.

Got rid of the hinge in the top limb but may have developed one on the bottom.  Still needs some more work

[gilbarbarian]

Finished it up in time for MOJam.  Not the best work out there but my best so far.  I'm sure the tru-oil helped. Thanks for looking and the advice. Jeff

[PEARL DRUMS]

Great work. I like that grip wrap. Your tiller looks perfect to me. You keep making them that nice and your going to get popular with your buddys fast!

[don s]

tiller looks good to me too. i like it. how does it shoot? don

[gilbarbarian]

Thanks Pearl Drums.  I always liked a wrap grip and it seems to fit with the golf tee arrow rest theme.
Thanks Don S,
Doesn't shoot too bad, a little hand shock and vibration.  Next bow I'm going to try and thin the tips out and buy some fast flight string. Jeff

[PEARL DRUMS]

Narrow the tips up now. You wont hurt a thing and only have a small job of resealing. The slightest difference at the tips make big differences in the hand. You may as well be 100% happy with it, and thats an easy fix.

[okie64]

Great lookin bow. Tiller looks great and the tips look nice too. Is that purpleheart and zebrawood on the tips?

[bigcountry]

I like the tiller.

You know, when, it was difficult for me to hit my weight over 60lbs with narrow bows.  I started making 1 3/4" wide limbs and was a lot easier.

[gilbarbarian]

okie64,  you guessed it.  I should have thinned out the purpleheart a little more. but not bad for me.  
big country, you might be right.  I made this one a little thinner, and it was harder to tiller.  jeff

[George Tsoukalas]

Well done! Good work. Jawge