no stick tillering

[Dictionary]

alright i was reading something about this on paleoplanet and was talking to half eye about it a bit but wanted some more input from some other members who use the "look and feel" method or the shadow method or what have you. I was watching Billy Berge's video on youtube where he gets to tillering the bow. i think its part 3 or 4 of his primitive bow series. all he does is tiller by watching the brace height and pulling it to determine weight. I was wondering how practical this is from other members on here WHO HAVE ACTUALLY TRIED IT.

[Gordon]

I tiller a bow by establishing the limb thickness taper that I want by feel and checking it by looking down the limbs while the bow is braced. When I arrive at the tiller I want, then it's just a matter of evenly removing wood from the belly until you hit your target weight. Once you get the hang of it there won't be any surprises when you pull the sting back. Now my tiller tree is primarily used for testing and excercising the limbs.

[Dauntless]

I use a full length mirror after getting to brace.

[toomanyknots]

I use a full length mirror after getting to brace.

I like to do this too. It helps me determine which limb is stronger sometimes.

[Badger]

   I often don't share how I tiller cause I don't want to show people the wrong way but I usually just floor tiller, then go to full brace and adjust tiller at brace height excersizing by making a few pulls till it feels right then putting it on the scale very close to the end for final adjustments. Pulling by hand you can easily feel if the wood is breaking down or not.

[Badger]

  I wonder if this thread is really about no set tillering instead of no stick tillering?

[Dauntless]

What Badger describes is basically what I do when I'm making a familiar bow (straight d-bow or stiff handled flatbow). This is easier when there is no pressure to get a certain draw weight.

Unlike Badger though, my bows have plenty of set, especially when tillering takes 20 minutes

[Badger]

Dauntless, thats the same with me, I only use that method when I am very familiar with a particular wood and design. And believe me I still screw up my share when I rush things.

[Dictionary]

No tillering stick no rope and pulley system or any other jigs. Just tillering by feel, examining brace height, checking limbs as they are pulled by hand, and draw weight is established when you feel "it is right" when you pull back to your draw length. I am planning on attempting this on my next hickory sapling bow. I feel it is the way the natives and many tribes across the world have done it for thousands of years. Plus i really don't enjoy making bows using a pulley system. It just isn't enjoyable to me to stand back and put the bow on the tree. I'd like to try something new and was wondering about the practicality of it and other's experiences. I'm going for a simple D-style bendy handled bow say 65" long so it isn't as important for perfect tiller.

[Dauntless]

With a good looking brace you could easily go to full draw. Looking at where the bow is taking set will tell you if the strain is properly spread out.

[George Tsoukalas]

Yes, I've used shadows to tiller on a couple of bows just for grins and giggles but not my normal way of making a bow. I forgot the question. I would not tiller to brace and then pull to draw length without adjust tiller along the way. The way I do it is on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html