tiller help with longbow

[CelticArcher]

Hey guys,

I'm having some trouble tillering my current project, a 77 inch mountain ash (E. Regnans) longbow. The top limb is bending rather well I think, granted this is only the 4th bow I've ever attempted, and the bottom limb has a reasonably good arc to it as well, but it seems much stiffer than the top limb. I have tied removing even material from the whole limb, but it has little, if any, effect. shoulld I just go with the opinion of the great Earl Hoyt Jr., who said "Tiller doesn't matter", and  just leave it a respectable weight, orr should i kep working on fixing the problem?? I understand it is difficult to remedy without seeing photos so I will get some photo's up soon. Can any of you more experienced bowyers give any advice on how to fix this problem of a stiff limb?? Cheers

[mspink]

tiller definitely matters.. I would recommend getting the lower limb to match the upper limb by going at it slow and not passing the point on the tiller stick thyat you are at untill they are even. One trick i use when the limbs are even is that i draw pencil marks on both limbs on the belly side of the bending portions, carve or scrape untill the pencil marks are gone and thats it. This should keep the tiller even while taking off wood to either bend farther or take off weight. continually checking the tiller will make sure..

[Pat B]

Are you exercising the limbs after each wood removal? Are you still on the long string or have you braced your bow?   The lower limb should be slightly stiffer than the top anyway but only slightly.

[CelticArcher]

Are you exercising the limbs after each wood removal? Are you still on the long string or have you braced your bow?   The lower limb should be slightly stiffer than the top anyway but only slightly.

Yeah, I am exercising the bow. After two dozen shots the only slight concern I have is the appearance of weird looking lines across the lower limb; they may be the start of chrysals/frets, but they don't run in straight lines, which I thought a little odd. I have got the bow braced to 8 inches.

[Del the cat]

Couple of points.
1. 8" seems a tad high for brace, 7 is more usual.
2. Chrysals often run at an angle but are usually straightish lines, you will feel them as very slightly raised ridges. There is a nice pic of chrysals on my website on the Hazel Bows page (click the globe symbol under my username).
3. Your comment about removing wood and nothing happenning is absolutely right, and is where so many people go wrong... they think nothing is happening and reach for a coarse rasp! NO! It will suddenly happen when you continue taking off V small even amounts.
4. Don't rely on the tillering rig, you may be supporting it or drawing it from a point slightly at odds with it's real use. Get in front of a long mirror/big window or get someone to take a picture.
Maybe experiment with hand poistion and nocking point to even it up, a half inch or inch can make a lot of difference, or turning it upside down. I'm sure we've all made bows which ende up the other way round on occaision.
Hope this is of some help.
Del
(BTW post some pics...)

[CelticArcher]

thanks everyone for the input, i've fixed the tiller problem. the bow currently is at 70 lbs @ 32. nice light bow (compared to my others anyway). the bow has taken about 2.5 - 3 inches of set, once i've reduced that and polished her up all ie and shiny i'll put up some pics