Author Topic: tillering for 31" draw length?  (Read 2492 times)

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Offline cryostallion

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tillering for 31" draw length?
« on: June 08, 2011, 11:23:53 am »
hello everyone,
i have been asked to build a bow for a friend who has a draw of about 31".  i'll be making it about 45-50#.  does anybody have experience making bows for this long of a draw, and if so, do they have any tips (or warnings!)?
thanks
-pat
Fanatical ethnic or religious or national chauvinisms are a little difficult to maintain when we see our planet as a fragile blue crescent fading to become an inconspicuous point of light against the bastion and citadel of the stars. -Carl Sagan

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2011, 11:42:57 am »
Yes, I built an osage bow for a friend who has a 33" draw. Don't be afraid to make the bow long enough. Length depends on the wood. What wood will you be using? I made his bow about 72 in ntn from osage. Jawge
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Offline cryostallion

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2011, 11:52:26 am »
hi george
i plan on 72", and will make it from either a red oak board or a white ash stave.  i am a beginner and am wondering if i need to watch out for anything special when tillering for such a long draw.
Fanatical ethnic or religious or national chauvinisms are a little difficult to maintain when we see our planet as a fragile blue crescent fading to become an inconspicuous point of light against the bastion and citadel of the stars. -Carl Sagan

Offline Stingray45

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2011, 12:13:00 pm »
I would try to use as much of the 72" as possible. If you're just starting out keep the limbs wider and make the handle short or you can have it bend through the handle. Just go slow with it, you should be fine. I don't think it will be as difficult as you think. I have a draw just a hair under 28" so I make all my bows for 28" but I tiller my bows out to 30" or 31" just so I have some extra leeway and feel safe that if for whatever reason I over draw that I'm confident that the bow has been drawn that far before.
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Offline crooketarrow

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2011, 12:22:59 pm »
  From what I read thats long for a broad bow but I've never built a board bow maybe backed. I 've built a few a 30 and 31 but again these were osage. But like others have said keep it long say 66 to 72 you'll should be ok.
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Offline Parnell

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2011, 01:02:38 pm »
Gotta young guy that built one with me that went to 34".  The bow was 72".  He's 6'11".  It was a hickory board that we heat treated and backed with silk, had a stiff handle.  Nothing different otherwise.
1’—>1’

Offline cryostallion

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2011, 02:33:34 pm »
thanks for all the tips everyone. 

parnell- was the hickory board you used 3/4" thick to start with?
Fanatical ethnic or religious or national chauvinisms are a little difficult to maintain when we see our planet as a fragile blue crescent fading to become an inconspicuous point of light against the bastion and citadel of the stars. -Carl Sagan

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2011, 03:14:24 pm »
"Yes, I built an osage bow for a friend who has a 33" draw. Don't be afraid to make the bow long enough. Length depends on the wood. What wood will you be using? I made his bow about 72 in ntn from osage. Jawge"

Woah. Thats a long drawing 72" bow. Hell ya George. :)

"Gotta young guy that built one with me that went to 34".  The bow was 72"."

MAN. You guys are killin me. That is a lonng drawin 72" bow!  :o

"From what I read thats long for a broad bow but I've never built a board bow maybe backed."

I made a red oak pyramid bow that pulled to 32". It weighted 60# @ 28". Don't know what it pulled at 32". It easily pulled to 32" though and would probably go farther, but it was 76" long and a perfect pyramid taper, 5/8" thick and 2 1/2" tapered to half an inch. 

"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline bubby

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Re: tillering for 31" draw length?
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2011, 04:34:10 pm »
this is a hickory board bow 70" ntn his draw was 30 1/2", tillered out to 33" for a little protection, he's a new shooter tiller is tiller, dont change just for a long draw, Bub
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
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