Can't get started in making a bow

[JW_Halverson]

Nope, I mean draw it to 3/4ths of what you want the draw weight to be.  For example I never pull a bow more than about 35-38 lbs if I am shooting for a final 50# draw weight.  That way you will never overstrain the limbs with the early tillering, helps you prevent excessive set in the limbs. 

Once you are close to final tillering then you will go ahead and work into that final draw weight and draw length. 

Good luck, can't wait to see this one finished and shooting. 

[Bitterguy]

Sadly my expiernce with bows means when I guess draw weight its like boldly locks, either to heavy, to easy or just right, so guessing 3/4 of my draw weight (im just blind guessing and aiming for 45# n this bow) is new impossible due tp my newbiesshness, would just pulling it down to my current tiller height 20x be enough?

[JW_Halverson]

I use a 30" piece of 1x2 with another 5" wide piece screwed to one end to act as a foot. The whole thing is shaped like a very tall letter "T".  Then I place the foot on a bathroom scale, hook the bowstring on the top of the 1x2 and pull the bow down while watching the scale read the weight in the little window. 

It helps to make marks every few inches so you know about how far you are drawing the bow every time you pull it down. 

[H Rhodes]

Oh yeah.  If you are at 14" on a low braced bow pulling 20lbs, you have a little bit of wood yet to be removed.  You can figure 2 - 3lbs of draw weight per inch.  If you are heading for 28" draw that gives you 14 more inches to go.  Your bow is pulling around 55lbs right now is my rough guess.  You can't just hog wood off now.  You really need your little tillering gizmo now and make sure you are removing wood from the really flat spots that aren't bending.     

Your tiller tree will work fine.  I would try to get it set up somewhere with some horizontal lines on a wall behind it - some sort of visual aid to show you that your limbs are bending evenly.  And a word of advice - don't leave it drawn for more than a second or two once you get over 21 or 22 inches.  It can do a real number on self bows, especially those that aren't shot in yet.   

[PEARL DRUMS]

Its getting wayyyyyyyyyyyy too complex now. Leave it simple, its a piece of wood and not a chemistry experiment. A cabinet scraper is what you need now and dont have. So continue with the sanding block as its your only bet. Im glad you are starting to see the bend in your limbs, thats all that matters. Forget the the math and the 3/4 and 2/3 and 75% stuff. After you have removed the wood mid way just draw the bow to 12-15" 15 times smoothly and slowly, the tree it again at 15". Forget its current draw weight, it doesnt matter. 

[JW_Halverson]

Squirrel Drums is right, I'm throwing more advanced level stuff at you when your goal right now is a working bow.  "Softly, softly, catchee monkee" was something I read on this Forum long ago, still applies today.

[bubby]

man reading about all that math was giving me a head ache

[JW_Halverson]

Yeah, but you get a headache figuring out change for a nickel when you buy penny candy!   

[PEARL DRUMS]

All that other stuff will whack him right up side the head after a few of these simpler styles are under his belt. Ohhhhhhhhh trust me.....it'll happen wether he likes it or not.....this hobby has a way of sneaking up right in front of you and grabbing ya' by the nose.

[H Rhodes]

You are right about that.  It has sure grabbed me.  I guess I was just getting anxious for somebody else to be infected!  Listen to Pearlie and maybe you won't end up so bitter bitterguy. 

[KHalverson]

Its getting wayyyyyyyyyyyy too complex now. Leave it simple, its a piece of wood and not a chemistry experiment. A cabinet scraper is what you need now and dont have. So continue with the sanding block as its your only bet. Im glad you are starting to see the bend in your limbs, thats all that matters. Forget the the math and the 3/4 and 2/3 and 75% stuff. After you have removed the wood mid way just draw the bow to 12-15" 15 times smoothly and slowly, the tree it again at 15". Forget its current draw weight, it doesnt matter.

please follow pearls advice
im pretty new at this myself and his help has takin me a lot farther than id thought id be right now

bitterguy
please privite message me your address
i got what you need!
kevin

[Bitterguy]

I order some white/gold for my final string today. And my current tillering string got frayed to the point where I couldn't untie my hitch and had to cut it off so now its to short. Is it a good idea to have just a general long tillering string that you twist up to fit whatever current bow you're working on? Ima make it a double Flemish loop, I need to practice making my loop anyways haha

[PEARL DRUMS]

Any and all advice is always welcome. I just didnt want to get the cart in front of the horse. Sorry if I came across snotty, not my intentions.


I have a mess of 8-9 strings in varying lengths hanging on a screw by my tree. I grab whatever length I need at that moment. Then eventually narrow it down to a full brace length.  Did you sand the string grooves and opposing edges nice and round so they dont wear or cut a string? Be sure to do that and DONT run the groove across the back. Trust that straight edge and tweak the tiller at 14". Get that gap even from 6" off center to 6" from the tips. Once you get it even go ahead and brace it up to 5" and pull it back slowly and gently to 12-14" at least 20 times. Then tree it at 16" and snap a pic.


Lastly, get with "khalverson" as he asked. He will do you right.

[Bitterguy]

A certain Kevin on the forum made a genorous offer to send me one of his extra scrappers. Should I wait until that gets here and continue on with that or should I keep using my sanding block ( that this wood appears to be immmune to sandpaper)

[PEARL DRUMS]

Just wait for the scraper. I have one of Kevins scrapers as well. Its a good one. What is your first name anyway? I would rather call you by your name than nothing at all.