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Author Topic: What causes set?  (Read 1906 times)

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Offline newknapper

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What causes set?
« on: February 20, 2009, 10:40:15 am »
I got a hickory bow 2" at the fades I got it pulling 27" but it has taken about 1" of set. I was thinking what causes set? Is it my fault in a not so good tiller or is because of not so great wood. Or all of the above.
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Offline Barrage

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Re: What causes set?
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2009, 10:45:00 am »
Overstraining the wood.  So could be tiller, could be not great wood, could be less efficient bow design for the type/quality of wood.  Most of the time a bow will take some set, and 1" is pretty normal.  Actually probably pretty good so I would say good job!
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Travis

Offline Jesse

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Re: What causes set?
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2009, 10:49:08 am »
Someone else will give you more detail but basically  set happens to everyone we just try to make it minimal. Getting all of the limb working evenly, using dry wood, and bow design all play a big part. 1" doesn't sound bad at all. Go shoot it  :)
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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: What causes set?
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2009, 10:56:46 am »
There is no way that I know of to tiller a bow without it taking some set. The wood cells on the belly compress when you start bending it. You can minimize it by being careful about stressing the wood or pulling it too far too early, taking it slow, and tillering well. Most of us will reflex a stave a couple inches so that set incurred while making the bow doesn't translate into string follow. If your stave was straight to begin with, only 1" of set is excellent, especially with hickory. I think most of us are too critical of string follow in a bow-it can actual improve the accuracy of a bow. It will slow it down a fuzz, but can make it more stable and pleasant to shoot.
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Offline adb

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Re: What causes set?
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2009, 01:18:26 pm »
Things that I've found that will increase set:

1. Wet wood. Moisture content >12%.
2. Poor design
3. Uneven tiller
4. Poor tiller (rushing tiller, pulling beyond desired final draw weight, not all of the limbs working evenly)
5. Unkind treatment (leaving a finished bow braced for long periods when not in use, leaving your bow in direct sunlight or a hot vehicle)

1" of string follow is nothing!! If that's all you have, you've done very well. Anything up to 2" is fine. Actually, a bit of string follow is a good thing. It makes the bow sweeter to shoot, more forgiving, less hand shock, and like Hillbilly mentioned, probably more accurate.
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