1st try with a hazel nut stave

[snag]

Should I brace it a few inches? The string on the bow in the picture can be shortened.

[Del the cat]

Using a long string gives a falsely high reading of poundage (due to the wonders of geometry). You need to get a short string on and carefully get it to braced height.
To answer you other question, you stop pulling it back when you get to your target draw weight, your target maximum draw length or it breaks whichever comes first.
It is an act of faith in the wood and your skill really, you need to 'get your eye in' when it comes to judging the curve of a bow.
If you have any doubt stop and think and check. My personal preference is to spread the curve over as much bow limb as possible, this spreads the load and should give maximum bend before break.
I'm sure every one of us gets very nervous on thoes last few inches of tillering, and we've all had 'em go BANG...
If you don't have faith, you'll just end up with a short drawing low poundage bow.
That's one reason why you should have a target draw length and weight in mind when you start, but of course it needs to be chosen according to the stave, it's no good wanting 60# at 32" out of a 55" Hazel stave.
Del

[George Tsoukalas]

snag, I was just making an observation. Narrowed bending handles are harder to tiller so thats ok unless uyour bow is unussally short for your draw length. Goodness. You must feel like Cinderalla. LOL. "Get that short string on there!" "Take more wood off the belly!" That's good though. I wish I had this collection of world class bowyers to help me when I started. Jawge

[Gordon]

I've seen now that a lot of experienced bowyers, like Gordon, are not exercising between scraping sessions.

It's not that I don't pull on the limbs at all after removing wood, but only as far and enough times to determine if and where I need to remove more - 4 or 5 times is usually sufficient for this.

[Gordon]

When you do brace the bow the first time don't pull the string back initially. Sight down each limb of the braced bow and make sure there are no obvious flat or hingy spots and that the bend in both limbs are reasonably well balanced. Remove wood to fix any problems, brace the bow again, exercise lightly (just a few very short pulls) and repeat until the bow looks good at brace. A lot of set happens when folks get too aggressive on the first brace.

[snag]

Well I have been using the Gizmo and taking wood off just on the high spots and on the fade outs. The right limb, last 6"-8" is getting really thin, about 1/2" or less. So I narrowed the limb down a bit. Still not bending as much as I think it should. Do I keep narrowing it a little at a time? The other problem is the poundage is going down...25# @ 19". This will definitely be a kids bow by the time I'm done. Looking back on this process it is kind of frustrating to think I had quite a bit of wood and now it's under weight and not tillered...I thought I was doing what I should do with the gizmo and stuff....just not turning out. Sure hope the next one turns out better...?

[Pat B]

Looks good to me. I like to leave the last 6" of the tips stiff anyway. Use the right limb for the bottom and go shoot it...unless you are still at 19". looks longer than that to me. I believe you can temper the belly of hazelnut and that plus any backset you add at the time will add a few extra pounds.

[snag]

Pat, I had planned on the left side being the top limb. I have drawn it to 21" on the tree.
Should I keep trying to gain draw length on the tree by pulling it a little each day? I guess
one of the things I just don't understand is how do you determine how far you can pull
a selfbow? If this bow is 60" long and if the bend stays consistant as I draw it can I keep
pulling it to 26"?

[Pat B]

I can easily get 28" from a 60" bow so this one should be OK going to 26".  If the limb is bending well at 19" go to 20" or 21". If it is bending well there go a little farther. Take it slow and exercise it well but as long as it is bending well you can go all the way out to your full draw target.

[snag]

Thank you Pat for your help. I will take it slow as I try and gain draw length.
David

[Pat B]

There is no time limit to tillering a bow. I've seen guys that can make a shootable bow in an hour or less. I don't recommend this, especially for a relative newby but as long as it is bending well keep on keeping on!