Tiller help please.

[dwardo]

Ayup all, had this thin little wych elm stave for a while now and had no idea what to do with it.

Sooo i decided to steam the living daylights out of it and stick some big bends in it It was nice to see how far i can push the elm from local woodland and it didnt even flinch during the steam.

Now i have never tillered any of these recurvy lookin things so i need the wisdom that is you lot! Yeah i have flipped tips but never like this.

So far its 40lbs out to 22 and would like it to be around 45-50 max at 28.5 ish. I have not heat treated it yet and intend to toast the living daylights out of it.

So whats with the tiller? are the recurvy tips too much? if not how does the string lie etc?





Help!

[Del the cat]

I've just been tillering one with very short slightly flipped tips. I've got a series of pics of it on my Bowyers Diary.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/
have a shufti, it shows the process warts and all!
I was aiming for a fairly circular tiller, yours looks to be working more near the grip.
Del

[Pat B]

The right limb looks a bit stiff in places. Just past the fade and just before the recurve. Just past the 6th vertical line you may have a slight hinge so stay away from that area.
  What is the overall length? She is going to be a sweet looking bow when done and should shoot well too!

[sailordad]

take Pats advise 
that thing looks like its gonna be beauty

[dwardo]

Thanks Del, pat, sailor dad.

Its 64 inch long, 1inch and a bit wide for most of the limbs. I see the hinge now so ill leave that bit along, and del you blog is pretty cool

I have to clean this thing up with a scraper then i will correct that bit, heat treat from the handle out and post up again!

 

[sailordad]

patietly waiting 

i cant wait to see this one finished,like i said looks like its gonna be a beaut

[AncientArcher76]

Oy D hows it going? Use the scraper  on the right limb a bit u might have to hit the left after just to even it out some.  other than that it dont look all too bad.  Nice work.

Cheers,
Russell

[dwardo]

Getting stage fright now lol
I have toasted it and i am just starting to get the string alignment in order before tillering anoymore. This stave is from the same log as my last wobbly bow! 

I also stupidly came home last night after a family partry and decided to just "play for a bit" now instead of a long bow flat now with a long handle i now have a short bow with a long handle I will definately be posting for help on that one tomorrow 

[dwardo]

I think i got most most of the string alignment problem steamed out and its had a heat treat.
Tidied up the tiller a bit but i think it still needs a tiny amount off the left inner limb??

It is braced and pulled out to 21, does it look ok for this type of recurved tip??

Cheers again all.

[Del the cat]

Hey, I like the tiller board on the door idea. Your garage is the same size as mine and I have it an the wall, I cane barely get far enough away to see the bow or take pics. (That's just gotta be a UK garage? Hmmm circa 1960 maybe?)
I might have to do that...The board would also stop some of the arrow holes in the door .
Does it make the door a bit heavy? (Mrs Cat can't open the darned thing anyway)
Del

[Pappy]

Looking good,I agree,a little off the left limb a little out from the fad.    
   Pappy

[dwardo]

Hey, I like the tiller board on the door idea. Your garage is the same size as mine and I have it an the wall, I cane barely get far enough away to see the bow or take pics. (That's just gotta be a UK garage? Hmmm circa 1960 maybe?)
I might have to do that...The board would also stop some of the arrow holes in the door .
Does it make the door a bit heavy? (Mrs Cat can't open the darned thing anyway)
Del

 

Yup typical english garage, only made for the "Hilman imp" and you still had to get out of the boot!
I used to have an integra type R and once tried to fit that it, i couldnt get out of either door and the fin on the boot wouldnt allow me to get out of the boot!!

The bard is just "hung" on the cross sections of the door with brackets i recycled. The bottom is then just tie wrapped for support. It seems strong enough and has not budget yet as the weight holds it in place. Also if you look at the door you too will see lots of holes in it, everything from knives to bows

[dwardo]

Looking good,I agree,a little off the left limb a little out from the fad.    
   Pappy

Cheers Pappy,

Whats the score with the string on these types of bow? The reason i ask is it tends to slip off the recurve? I still need to correct the string alignment but not loads, maybe a groove or "string catcher" thing?

[Pappy]

Maybe brace it a little higher,then you just have to keep tweaking the tip till you get it where you want it,I usually do that with dry heat.Sometimes it can be aggravating ,just be patient. It is easy to go to far. 
   Pappy

[dwardo]

Tweaked the string alignment again and i rekon its only an other dry heat at the handle away, finaly..

Not sure on the tiller tried to follow all your pointers but here it is braced and out to 25.



out to 25



Questions, is another heat treat going to be a good idea before i go further or leave it as is and go onto 28?

So far its taking about an inch and a half of set but starts to relax quick.

At the min i think the right limb should be the bottom? tillered it kinda even, also should it be an inch above for the pass on a bendy handle recurvy bow?

I have a load of weight removal form the tips to go but is it getting there? Tiller looks strange but its one i have never seen in the flesh.

Cheers again all