set questions

[kinkfeather]

do all self bows have a set in them.the next self bow i make i would like a little snap in the limbs.now can you back the bow an take the set out.can you add fiber glass to red oak board.i have about 1 1/2 set in 2 bows.now to the real question.i have been taking most of the set out by straighten the limbs is that a no no.all coments are welcome.kink

[half eye]

Kinkfeather,
      Ya might try backing the bow with a wood backer of about 1/4" to 1/8" and once you have the wrap on it and banded up put a couple of 2X4 blocks under each limb tip and pull the grip down to the bench with a clamp. (backer will be facing UP) depending on how thick your handle wood is you will have about 3" of refelx in the overall bow. Even with a tillering error you should at least wind up flat or maybe 1" or so of remaining reflex. JMO
rich

[Parnell]

I've never had luck taking it out once it's memorized into the bow. Are you heat treating the limbs before you begin the tillering process to put reflex into the bow and toast the belly?

[kinkfeather]

no heat treating an no toasting the belly.question is this something i should do before tillering a new bow.the tillering process i am not clear on.the way i do it is floor tiller until i think i have enought flex then i go to long string then to 3" brace then to regular brace then to regular tiller 6" if 1 limb is too stiff i scrape until zero tiller.this is with string on i.then i go to tiller tree go to 10" if tiller is good i will go up 1" at a time not exceeding my draw weight.if tiller at 1" advances is 1.8 lbs per inch of draw the bow is about 48.9 lbs at 27".by the time i sand it .it should be close to 45@27".now if i am doing things worng please tell me.kink

[sailordad]

to eliminate set,one must first learn to tiller the entire limb evenly
and use the proper design for the chosen wood
if you dont get all of each limb doing its fair share of work your gonna get set
even then theres bound to be some set
reflexing limbs can hide set,but if you start with 3" reflex and end with 1" after tillering then the bow has takes 2" of set
set isnt always a  bad thing,a little set makes for sweet shooting bow

[ken75]

joe the bow in question is a pyramid isnt it ? if so look at the side profile and see where the set is taking place. it will either be in the last half of the limb which means the area from handle out isnt bending enough. or the set will be just out of the handle and will be showing a lot of tip deflection if this is the case that area is bending too much.either way bending back straight after stringing or shooting wont help the problem, try backing like Rich suggested with 1/8th inch hickory or red oak and then if you have an area like i described that is causing the set take a little of the limbs where its strong. good luck and nice to see ya back . ken

[Del the cat]

We get this Q endlessly, a little set is fine, it shows the wood is working.
If you don't want set build a 68" pyramid bow 5" wide at the grip with a 20# draw weight at 24". I'll promise you it will have no set, even if you make it out of rhubarb.
Del

[walkabout]

i have to echo that set is best reduced by using the correct design for the given wood. red oak will take set pretty easily with tillering errors, however as long as its not anything signifigant it really doesnt hurt anything. the most set i have gotten is about 1 3/4", with a 60" red oak pulling 50#@27" in comparison, my longbow which is 72"OAL took nearly no set at all, pulls 45#@28". both of these were made from red oak 1x2's. reflexing will hide it if aesthetics are an issue, but IMO unless you have 3" of set its no big deal, just keep it up until you can get it right. also search for"no set tillering method" on here, its a great read.

[gmc]

I wouldn't be discouraged at all with a oak board that has 1.5 inch of set. That's pretty darn good in my book.

You can buy compression, lifeless boards, all day long at Lowe's or any other place that sells boards that are straight, flat, pristine to normal board buying standards off the self. Now finding one with acceptable grain is a little more challenging but can be done if you take the time to sort through enough stock.

What you don't see is all the tension strong material that was discarded or not selected to start with because it was reflexed, deflex ed or just plain warped. Nobody wants to buy a board for flooring or building anything else in this condition.

In addition to that, the grain has been violated, regardless that is inherently weaker as a result.

Wood with attitude is what you are after, the sawmill is a great place to shop for boards. Building a bow from material without seeing it standing is always a gamble but close examination can help prior to selection.

All bows have set, you can't expect to bend a piece of wood almost twice its length without giving up something. The belly fibers compress as a result; you will never get that back, just part of the process. Don't bend your bow backwards; your right, that's a no-no. It will only weaken it further.

Bows that you see posted with flat profiles or holding reflex, have either been heat induced or naturally reflexed from the high tension properties of the wood. Woods with attitude.

An Oak board bow with an 1.5 inch of set is pretty darn good in my book.


 

[George Tsoukalas]

A properly made board bow will shoot every bit as well as a bow made from a log stave if not actually better. 1.5 in of set is good. Jawge

[shamus]

Fold a piece of paper, then smooth it out straight... and the paper will still be creased. Those are compressed fibers. It's the same thing with wood fibers.

Set is normal, and 1.5" of set is entirely acceptable.

Excessive set (2 inches or more)  is due to a combination of two things

• Improper design
  
• Improper  tillering

If you try to take the set out you'll do the bow more harm than good. Bending the working parts of a bow backwards to reduce set is just begging for disaster. Once wood is trained to compress in way, you should NOT try to bend it the other way.

But you can backset the handle or reflex the tips (both non working parts of the bow) without harming it. But 1.5" is entirely fine and I wouldn't bother.