Just a question...

[wood carver 2]

I'm working on my trade bow, getting it tillered and I see that the tips are bending more than I want them to. I'm using a string with leather boots on each end to tiller with. The leather boots pull the bow from it's tips rather than from the string grooves. Would this be one reason that the tips bend too much? I have it at brace height (7 1/2").
Dave.

[Pat B]

If you have your bow at 7 1/2" brace height I hope you are on a short string. Pics will really help us help you.

[Art B]

Those leather boots aren't your problem Dave. When you long string tillered your bow you were basically pulling down on the limbs stressing the middle of the bow. But when you put the short string on your bow you're now pulling the tips inward causing the outer portion of the limbs to bulge out.

Gotta keep those outer limbs stiff when using a long string on a tillering board. Tough lesson for sure, and most of us learned it the hard way too.

[wood carver 2]

Thanks Pat and Art for getting back so soon. The tillering string has been shortened to 67". The bow measures 70" ntn. I did very little work using the long string, but I may have done something wrong, or at least at the wrong time. The limbs were moving well and evenly so I went ahead and narrowed the tips from about 1/2" to 3/8". I blended the taper into the limb over 8".
Then, because things were looking good, I roughed out the grip and arrow pass.
Here is a picture. It's not great but you can tell the right limb is a lot weaker at the tip.

I hope I haven't messed this one up.
Dave.

[Pat B]

Put a regular string on her! The bend with the leather cups and the bend from a regular string can be different. When I'm making a bow I go to a regular string as soon as I can low brace the bow and everything else is good. I want everything from that point on to be the same.
 Also, once you low brace with a regular string you can see how the string tracks. If the string track is good you can then shape the tips and handle area. Having a little leeway when you do first brace bow can make a difference  whether you can just remove a little wood from one side of you'll have to heat straighten(or bend) the bow to line up the string. So you are OK here...
  ...but put the bows permanent string on her. She's feeling naked without it! d;^)

[Art B]

I like your handle Dave!

I'm with Pat, get your regular string on and then judge things.

[Roy from Pa]

With a regular string, your tips may show up weak.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Your bow is quite long, you could always snip an inch or so off each end to stiffen the tips up if need be. Unless of course you draw 29-30" and need it all. Your upper limb is a tad stiff, maybe take 1/2" off that end and one inch off the other.

[wood carver 2]

Thanks for the advice guys. I won't touch her until I get a proper string. I guess I got ahead of myself when I saw things going well.
I was scraping wood from the belly and sides of the upper limb to get it bending more - is that the way to go? It's still rectangular in cross section.
I guess I'll have to get the string before I ask any more questions so it might be the weekend before I post about it again.
Dave.

[Roy from Pa]

David, I quit using those long tillering strings like in your picture, they can lie. I now cut in my string grooves right away and use a regular string that is just long enough to stretch into the string grooves when I begin to tiller a bow. Once the limb tips are bending to say 3 or 4 inches, I get a shorter string on the bow and get it to about a 3 inch brace height. I keep tillering and don't take off any wood unless I see a major problem with the tiller. Once I have the limb tips bending to about 6 or 7 inches, where they would be at a regular 6 inch brace height, I get a regular string on the bow with a 6 inch brace height. That's how the bow will be when done. I then proceed to tiller out the bow to my draw length with the regular string on her. The shorter string you put on a bow, the more pressure it applies to the ends of the limbs. When I use to use the extra long tillering string, I could have a bow looking so sweet, only to put on a regular string and then all heck would break loose. One limb would be bent too much and the other limb would not be bending much at all.

[wood carver 2]

Thank you all for the good advice. I'll take it to heart. Would it be best to get an adjustable string or should I have a bunch of strings of different lengths? Maybe I should learn to make my own strings.
Does this bow look like I could still bring it to the target weight (50 - 60 #), or should I cut my losses and start another?
Dave.

[Art B]

String making should be a prerequisite for bow making IMO Dave. Since you're hooked, and looks like a lot more bows in your future, you're going to need a lot of strings. Lot of info out there.

Don't know what weight you're at now but I'd get a regular string on and then repost a pic..

[Roy from Pa]

You could use one string and use the bowyers knot to shorten it, or use 2 or 3 strings of different lengths. Yes making strings is fun and a cheaper way to attain strings. I make flemish twist strings. I would keep working on it, if it comes in light you could take a little off each limb to increase the weight. 70" is a very long bow. Or finish it out for someone else as it is.

[wood carver 2]

Art, not only am I hooked, I'm planning on taking a bow of my own make moose hunting this fall. I'll start stocking up on string making supplies and look up a build-a-long as well. Once I'm done with the swap bow I'll start learning how it's done.
Roy, I'll get a string this weekend and see how this bow comes out. I have a backup half ready and lots of wood and bamboo for more.
Dave.

[Roy from Pa]

Cool Dave..

Strings are easy, I can make one in about 30 minutes.

[Nim-rod]

Just order two different colors now and look for FLemish string jig plans and start right away making your own. SUPER easy to do after a couple trys at it.

[wood carver 2]

Will do Nim-rod. As soon as the swap is done I'll have time to learn something new.
Dave.

[wood carver 2]

Ok. I got a real string now and I shortened the bow from 72" to 69 1/2" and 68"ntn. I left the upper limb 1/2" longer than the lower. As soon as I strung it I noticed that the tiller looked ok. In fact it came out 1/8" positive tiller. Sometimes you just get lucky I guess.        
Anyway, here are a couple of pics. I'll try and get a full draw shot tomorrow.


Does it look better or am I just kidding myself?
Dave.

[Roy from Pa]

I guess it's ok:) LOL

Looks nice Dave, well done. Shorten it down to 66 and you will be very close to your target weight. Or make another, it's all fun.

[wood carver 2]

I'll let you see the full draw shot before I touch it. Besides, I like the was it shoots. I might just keep it and take it turkey hunting.
Dave