first bow need some guidance

[ordcorpdw]

So I started my first bow following some directions on line. Selected a red oak board and went to town....lots of reading hear has got me to this point. Seems my limbs are still a little too stiff. This is with a loose cord that really gets no brace height to it even if its strung tight. Cord has some stretch properties to it. It's 67" knock to knock. The limbs are 3/4 of an inch thick near the risers thinning to a half inch about midway to the tip. Too thick? Have it pulled to 21".     thinking the limb on the right is stiffer than the one on the left.

[DelawareDave]

The link is not showing up, and when I click on it, it just goes to a blank page

[Nim-rod]

Link shows for me. I think it looks good so far but the whole thing is too stiff to see much right now since it's not being pulled to it's brace height yet. I say so far so good though. Try the tillering gizmo (search for it in TG) it really works wonders and I won't do without one now. Take it slow and it will come out fine. Most people (self included) make their first bow too light by mistake. Usually happens while fixing a mistake made on one limb and chasing the problem right into the other limb to even it all out. Get a fish scale from somewhere and try not to pull it much past your desired weight.

[ordcorpdw]

Sweet. My draw length is about 24 and a half. Makes me wonder why my arms are so short. Anyway after looking at dozens of tiller photos I can start to see when its to stiff etc. Thanks for looking and any advice. I would like to have my first bow as a keeper rather than a lesson learned. Would it be easier to hit 50 or so # at 24 or 25 than it would be at 28"? I'm taking it super slow and not being to aggressive with it. Thanks for looking.

[ordcorpdw]

Ok I changed photo apps and ill post photos soon.

[KellyG]

Get your string as tight as you can. Trust me. I almost screwed up bow, my tiller string would stretch and it gives you false readings as you look a the bow.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

You really need to get a tiller string made from some b-50 at the very least. You can buy it from several of our sponsors and get a couple spools for about 12 to 13 bucks. If you gonna be building bow your gonna have to learn how to make a string sooner or later,probably sooner.

Stiks

[ordcorpdw]

Stiks Is there a specific length in general? Kinda one size fits all? Kelly I enjoyed your Osage thread. Appreciate the info.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

You can make a flemish twist with one loop on the end and tie a bowyers knot (timber hitch) in the other end and it is adjustable in length.

I'll see if I can find a tutorial on doing a bowyers knot. It took me forever to figure it out but it's really pretty simple.

[ordcorpdw]

Nice, I just looked at three rivers tillering string pretty much explained it. I'm pretty sure the site I got the plans from has how to make a flemish string but not a bowyers knot. Unless a bowyers knot is part of a flemish string? I think a video would be quite helpful.

[DelawareDave]

If you google it or youtube it there is quite a few ways to tie a bow knot.  Actually for my tillering string I use 600lbs dacron braided cord (i think its about an 1/8 thick) with two bow knots tied in each end.  You can get it at pretty much any well stocked boat supply store.  I just had it laying around for use with my spearguns i make...  

[Roy from Pa]

How to tie the Bowyers Knot...

 http://www.longbowarchers.co.uk/knot.html

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Thanks Roy I was just coming back to this.

[ordcorpdw]

Bookmarked it! Thanks. After a lot of scraping with a shureform I got it bending nicely. Can even draw it to my anchor point. Just waiting on a real string in the mail....then we will see where we are at.

[Roy from Pa]

Dave, not sure if you caught the reply about the tillering Gizmo above. Below is a link to it, it really helps tiller out a bow. As for the tillering string, "do not" use one of those extra long tillering strings that hang way down when on the limb tips, they lie. Cut in your string grooves on the limb tips and use a tillering string that just barely stretchs into the grooves with the bow at rest.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=001047

[LittleBen]

Thanks for posting the bowyers knot! looks basically like a timber hitch where the free end is trapped between the loop and the limb to limit the binding of the knot on the limb

[ordcorpdw]

Here are some pics of the build. Not too sure of the tiller.
 
This is the fake snakeskin backing
 
Progress on the handle.
 
Antler tips
More pics a bit later

[ordcorpdw]

Here is a tiller pic

Added stain over everything
 
Leather on handle
 

[Roy from Pa]

Close..

[Nim-rod]

Do you have it on a regualar string yet and braced? I like the looks of the skin even though it is fake. Thought about getting some myself. I think the bend is pretty darn close just a bit more mnear the fades.