Author Topic: My first selfbow  (Read 5310 times)

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mccaw69

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My first selfbow
« on: April 02, 2011, 12:16:22 am »
Last fall I started on my first selfbow.Hickory stave,well seasoned.It has all went very well until I started the tillering process.It seems that both limbs are trying hinge approx. 8" or so from the tips.Do I continue tillering,should I attempt to back it,or is it too late for that.I thinking the limbs are still too stiff towards the handle,and should prob do some more scraping.I need experienced advice.Don't want it to become kindling.

Offline okie64

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2011, 12:31:49 am »
If they look like they are hinging you need to get it working more in the mid and inner limb. Pics would help a bunch.

Offline HickoryBill

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2011, 12:36:43 am »
What weight is the bow at right now? What weight are you shooting for? If you are under weight you might want to back it , a thin piece of hickory will work good.
"He who hesitates usually misses"
"All you really need to make a bow and arrow are some sticks and a deer carcass"
Bill Stockdill
Clarion County Pennsylvania

mccaw69

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2011, 12:54:42 am »
have'nt put a scale on it but it feels around 30-35#,was shooting for 45-50#

Offline HickoryBill

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2011, 01:01:37 am »
have'nt put a scale on it but it feels around 30-35#,was shooting for 45-50#

What draw is that at? And what is your draw length. Most woods gain about 3# of weight per inch,roughly

But first and foremost you should get rid of those hinges Remove wood from the rest of the limb, and avoid the hinged area.
"He who hesitates usually misses"
"All you really need to make a bow and arrow are some sticks and a deer carcass"
Bill Stockdill
Clarion County Pennsylvania

mccaw69

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2011, 11:08:46 am »
Guess I should have given u more details,the bow is approx. 64" long,my normal draw is 29",it will give me that right now,I  guess I'll thin the lower portions of the limbs,to see if I can get a more uniform arch.I'll try to add some pics this weekend to give you a better idea what's going on,I'm sure it will help you help me with my problem.

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2011, 11:19:27 am »
A tillering gizmo will lead you out of the darkness to correct your hinged places.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=001047#000000

Offline 4est Trekker

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2011, 11:58:15 am »
Eric's advice (and tillering gizmo) are both gems!  Before you build a bow, build a tillering gizmo!  (That sounds likes a cheesy commercial rhyme :) )
"Walk softly, and carry a bent stick."

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  Col. 3:17

mccaw69

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2011, 05:53:06 pm »
I've got a tillering gizmo,lol,here r some pics if they go through.

mccaw69

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2011, 05:54:41 pm »
gonna do some more shaving tody on it,hopefully I can correct the hinging.

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2011, 06:07:10 pm »
Areas that are bending too much should be left alone. Remove wood from above and below that spot, exercise the  stave 20-30 very short pulls, check tiller and continue. Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2011, 06:19:46 pm »
have a look at the tillering videos on my website (click the globe symbol under my user name) It may help to give you a feel for the process.
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #12 on: April 02, 2011, 07:51:06 pm »
Yes, that is some pretty bad hinging. You need to solve that if you don't want the bow to become kindling. Solving those hinges probably means you will come in grossly underweight. It's common for a first bow to come in very light. Don't worry about that - learn while you can, so the next bow will be much better.
You need to remove wood from the inner (closest to the handle) half of each limb. First, put a clear X-mark on the hinges, as to not touch those again. Then scrape wood from the inner half of both limbs, and check tiller again, using the tillering gizmo. It's a pity you haven't used that tillering gizmo earlier on in the process...that would have saved you some poundage... Remove wood from where the tillering gizmo tells you to remove wood. Check tiller again and repeat.

If the bow is made from a stave, it's very difficult to back it with wood since the back of the bow is not flat enough to just glue down a backing. You could back it with rawhide, linen of flax, but that will only only a few pounds. My advice: fix tiller on this bow, see whatever poundage you end up with, and start with your second bow! :)

By the way, you could try a rawhide or flax patch on the back of the bow at those two hinges, to stiffen them up a bit.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: My first selfbow
« Reply #13 on: April 02, 2011, 08:49:37 pm »
Basically, that stave is doing all its bending in one spot located toward the tips in both limbs. That is pretty typical for some one starting out. Put a big "X" there on both limbs and leave that spot alone. Then remove wood from aboe and below that spot.  My site may help you. Take a look. Then go to the Bow of the Month section and look at some of those tillers. That'll give you an idea as to how bows should bend. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!