Tiller Help Please

[VicNova]

Does this hickory bow need to bend more towards the handle on both limbs ?

I think that is where more bend needs to occur but I need reassurance.

This is only my second tree-split stave bow,  please help.

[k-hat]

Stop!  Seriously you DO need to get those inner thirds bending, all the stress looks to be on the middle third of both limbs, more so on the left. 
We do need to know the front profile before we know whether it should be elliptical or more circular.  Are your limbs pyramidal or parallel?  How long is it, and how far have you drawn and how close are you to target draw length and weight?

[VicNova]

The limbs are parallel and are 2" wide for most of there length.

The Bow is 65" NtN

I have drawn it all the way back to 28" and It pulls the intended weight of 55#

There are no frets or chrysalling as far as I can tell.

[PEARL DRUMS]

The first ten inches on each side need about 8-10#'s removed to get her closer to close.

[boughnut]

I am afraid to get that sucker closer to bending right you are going to lose alot of draw weight.  I would go ahead and try to tiller it better and chalk it up to a learning experience.  with that said  left limb has a pretty bad hinge looks like you need to get both the inner 1/3 and outer 1/3 bending a bit more but mostly the inner 1/3 and the right limb pretty much the same although i do not see a hinge in it just most the work is being done on the middle 1/3 as has been stated.  she might not come out as you hoped but she will last longer if you fix that up and help you with your next one.  as you have experience here hickory is a very tough bow wood and can take a mistake here or there but that hinge scares me. hope that helps.  how much set has it taken an un strung pic would be good.

[okie64]

Inner and outer limbs need to bend more, all of your bending is happening in one small area. From now on when you see a problem spot like that forming stop pulling it and remove wood from both sides of the hinge. Another thing that might help is rigging up a pulley system so you can stand back and pull the rope and watch how the limbs bend instead of leaving it hooked on the tillering tree.

[k-hat]

Don't know how long it is, but you could pike it once you get the tiller straightened out to pick some weight back up.  Just sayin . . .

[VicNova]

The bow has 2" of set on the right limb and 2-1/2" of set on the left.

[VicNova]

Here is another bow I made from the same tree.

Am I making the same mistake or does the tiller look any better?

[boughnut]

dont see a hing in that one.  does look a little better still parts of the limbs are working more than others.  looks like she might stack up?  you are doing fine just need ot get more limb working bring the fades in closer to the handle and leave only the last 4 to 6 inches ot the tips stiff to help with string angle.

[VicNova]

Thanks .

The first bow is already varnished so I will just leave it as a wall hanger.

On my next bow I will try to leave only the last 4-6 inches stiff and bring the fades in closer. 

[makenzie71]

I think the tiller looks better, but not "good".  You're only using about a quarter...maybe a third...of each limb.  However, it's pretty and if it performs I wouldn't change it.  The next one will come out a little more even.

[VicNova]

Ok here is the original bow.

I took off wood from either side of the hinge and I also took more wood off of the tips and near the handle.

Does it look any better?

[Del the cat]

You are hetting there.
Keep it simple, don't have such a long grip, you have about 10" in the centre of the bow doing absolutely no work.
Hold a Cd or dinner plat up in front of you and line it up with the limbs.
Some will say a circular tiller isn't the best, but it's a reasonable start, and you can use it to judge each limb individually.
You bow is looking more square than circular at draw.
Del

[makenzie71]

That does look a lot better.  It still look as though you're using the left more than the the right, but it looks pretty close.