Long String to Short String =====> Follow Up Poundage ?

[Canoe]

"When you have a scale hooked to a Long String, it will read a bit heavier than it will when you get it braced"  - Saw Filer (Feb. 20, '09)

Well, Howdy Group,

This has been a lingering question for me for some time...   Ever since I ruined a good stave (board) by removing too much material while I was in the 'Long String' phase.  So, can someone please walk us through this 'Long String' / 'Short String' / 'Bow String' (Braced) tillering process?

As an example, I have a stave (or board) about 68" long, I'm looking to build a stiff handled ALB to about 52@28". 
After floor tillering, I would put on a "Long String" to get the limbs bending evenly.

1) How long should the Long String Be?
2) How many inches / lb.s should I pull it before graduating to the Short String?

And then, the same question applies...
2) How many inches / lb.s should I pull it before I'm ready to brace the bow?

I know this sounds like a basic tillering question, but after my reading many books, articles, and Build-Alongs, I am still not sure how to proceed.

As always, many thanks for your knowledgeable guidance in my tillering quest,

Canoe

[PeteC]

Canoe ,this is one of those things that is an "eye thing" for me.When I have the limb tips moving 6",(same as 6" brace height),I put a string on to give a 4" brace.I tiller until both limbs are bending good,and I'm sure they are working the entire limbs ,then I go to the target brace height,where from here on out,I should pretty well be making full lenght ,limb shavings,to reach target weight. Hope this helps. God Bless

[George Tsoukalas]

It's all in how you use the long string. It's all on my site so I'll let you go there. See Bow Making Directions and the buildalongs. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[artcher1]

Canoe, a long string (tillering string) should ONLY be long enough to get on the bow  (little if any slack).  A really long string over works the inner limbs and causes more set. A braced profile with the bow string (short string) strains more of the outer limbs.  Here's a good example: take a 12" plastic ruler and hold it horizonally out in front of you. Now take and pull down on it's end (represents a long string). You will notice the greater bend at your hand (fade area of bow). And now push in on the ruler and you will see the greater bend to the outer third (represents a short string).

Knowing this, you only want to get your bow to what you think is brace height and go directly to a shorter string (it's a mistake IMO to draw your bow past what you would consider brace height with the long string on a tillering board/tree) . Floor tillering is the key. Once your limbs are moving the appropriate distant at the  floor tillering stage the only thing you have to do now is get an even tiller before stringing your bow. Once your bow is stung you can then hook a scale to your string and and proceed from there. Just never pull past intended draw weight as you finish tillering your bow . Good luck.

ART B

[hedgeapple]

Canoe, thanks for asking that question. 

PeterC, Artcher1 and Jawge,  Thanks for answering the question.  I too ended up with a board bow #20 under weight and with a 3 inch set.  No I see exactly why.  Won't happen again.   

[FlintWalker]

I only mess around with a long string long enough to get the limbs bending evenly and far enough to brace it to about 4-5".  Once I get there, I brace it.
   Since I started doing this, my bows show less set and making weight has not been an issue.

[adb]

Get to low brace asap. Some guys even go from floor tiller to brace, without the long string. My long string is basically the same length as the bow. Use the long string just enough to get the limbs bending evenly enough to get to a low brace. If you mess around with the long string too much, you'll probably end up under weight, and the bow bends much differently once it's at brace.

[sailordad]

i agree with art on this.
i dont use a long string any more,just floor tiller it well,brace it and then i do something some would probably
think is dangerous,with the bow braced i eyeball tiller it.
in other words.i lay the bow over my shoulder so that ti can look down one limb. use the opposite hand to stablize the bow on the shoulder.
then with the other hand i push (or draw ) the bow string as i look down the limb.
doing this allows you to see the limb as it bends,you really get a great look at where it is and isnt bending.
this could be very dangerous if i ever have one bust while doing it.
i heard someone on here mention this method so i gave it a try,now i do it on every bow i make.i think this has helped my tillering quit a bit.

[FlintWalker]

I do the same thing Sailordad.  I don't draw very far though. Just enough to make sure I don't have any flat spots.

[Pappy]

The long string I use is just long enough to get it on the bow.I use a tiller stick till I get the limbs bending even and the tips out to about 8 inches.Then I low brace 4/5 inches and go to the tillering
tree.Unless I run into a really bad problem in the wood that I didn't see,the only problem I have making weight is getting it down to weight. 
   Pappy

[GregB]

The long string process we use is with the string only long enough to reach each tip. The goal is to get the limbs bending evenly and reach a point where you can switch to the bow string at a low brace. One way to judge when to switch to the bow string and brace height...the bow should be very difficult to string to low brace using the push-pull method. We typically have to use a bow stringer the first time we leave the long string and go to the low-braced bow string.

[Canoe]

Howdy Gentlemen (and others),

Thank you for your replies... 
It sounds like I could get the bow bending evenly to about 4/6 inches and then go to short string (low brace).

But, how many pounds do I dare pull the stave to those 4/6 inches?  I can't see where it would be a good idea to pull it near the 52 (or so) Lb.s. To do that sounds like it would put a lot of stress / strain on the area(s) of the limbs that are bending at that point - causing set. 
However, if I were to get it bending those 4/6 inches at, say, 35lb.s, I wouldn't know how that would translate toward my target weight?

I hope that further explains my question(s).

And another thing...!

SailerDad and SawFiler you guys actually hold the tip of your bow up near your eye to  "eyeball tiller" at short string?!
I have a good friend, One Eyed Mike, who would at least suggest wearing safety glasses when doing this.  But really?  How dumb are you gonna feel if you end up with an eye injury from bow making?  (And, more importantly, how would that affect your shooting?)  I know, as Mike would say, "That would never happen to me."  -- Famous last words.

Keep it SAFE gentlemen, and all the best,
Canoe