Started my first warbow

[Eastman]

A while ago I decided that i want to be able to shoot a good heavy warbow some day.(like 100lbs +)
Since i'm 18, I reckon I have a couple of years to build up my strength and see where i end up (:

This bow is bamboo backed white oak, I know oak might not be that great for warbows but i'm only aiming for 80lbs and thereabouts.
It's 80'' long wich leaves me some room to pike it later during tillering. After a few days of tillering it's currently 22'' on the tillering tree.

Any tillering advice would be appreciated

[Dag]

Bamboo/White Oak should give you a great warbow Eastman!  Just take your time and tiller with care.  Just like with any wood really, lol!

The left limb is looking ok at this point.  Get the right side bending more at the mid limb to match up with the left.  Then continue on!

[Del the cat]

+1 for what Dag says on the tillering (I have no idea about the wood combo).
Maybe ease off the outer 1/3 of both limbs a tad.
If you hold a CD in front of the pic it really shows how the right limb isn't doing it's share of bending (aim for a roughly circular tiller).
That's back far enough for a short string too, which is a important step as it can look quite different of the short string and there will be more movement at the previous draw weight due to the change of string angle.
I get to a low brace ASAP.
Out of interest, I'm working on something pretty similar at the moment (about 75" long 70# at 28" but drawing out to 32"... at whatever!) so check out my blog (google Bowyers Diary) and you can watch it progress.
It should need a stringer to help you get the short string on... if you can do it by hand you are in danger of going under weight.
Del

[Eastman]

Thanks so far for the advic.
Del, I checked out your blog, man you've got some nice projects going there!
I guess I should've mentioned that the bow is braced 6'' in that pic..

Here he is so far drawing 28,5'' (the bow is way under weight,like 60#, but then again it is 80'' long so i have so room to pike it)

[Dag]

Gettin' there man! What is your target draw length? Are you going for the typical warbow draw of 32"?

That right limb is looking better but still isn't bending the same as the left. Keep at it man, lookin' good.

[AH]

I think it needs to bend a bit more mid-limb on the right limb, and also a bit in the handle. I would actually leave the handle kind of stiff for now though, I find that when I remove a tiny bit from a stiff handle it starts bending hard really fast. better too stiff right now than too bendy later, and at 80" I think a more elliptical tiller would be nice. good luck

[Del the cat]

If you pike it, I'd suggest doing it now rather than later.
If you take more (or even all) off the left (weaker) limb.
You will be gaining extra poundage that way as you will be effectively stiffening the weaker limb while leaving the stronger limb as it is.
Obviously you'll need to re mark the centre and both limbs will need adjustment, but it's a way of strengthening the right limb rather than weakening the left, to match 'em up.
BTW Average length of the Mary Rose bows was about 75 1/2 " or 77 3/4" depending on where you read.
They varied from about 71" - 84"
So you can safely lose a few inches and still look right.
Del

[Eastman]

Here he is drawn to 30,5'' the bow currently draws 60# @31''
Using a formula mentioned in TBB1, making the bow 2 1/2'' shorter on each tip would give me 80# @31''
Would being only 75 or 74'' long put too much stress on this bow? (in terms of taking too much set) it already has 1 1/2'' of string follow on each limb

[Del the cat]

That's looking much better .
If you've already got that much set I wouldn't risk shortening it.
It may be worth heat tempering the belly. The bow could be clamped to a bit of 2x1 (narrow edge up) whilst doing it, that would probably take out some of the set and may gain you almast 10# draw weight. prob' best to protect the back from the heat with some tape, but clamping it to the 2x1 should help keep the heat off the back.
If you've not done it before read up on it first and expect to take about 30-45 mins per limb and to be bored out of your head... keep tea or coffee with arms reach. Don't be tempted to walk away and leave it cooking for a few minutes.... (I've ruined a bow like that). A kitchen timer can be handy to remind you to move the heat gun if you have it jigged up on a stand.
Del

[Eastman]

I would seriously consider doing that but the bow is made of white oak backed with bamboo. The glue I used is a type of boat building 2 part epoxy. Won't that cause delamination?

[Del the cat]

Indeed you don't want to heat treat a laminated bow.... I thought it was a self bow...
Del

[DarkSoul]

I was expecting you to come in underweight, to be honest. You were working on that #@%^&! long string for too long! Better to not use a long string at all on heavier bows. Floor tiller a bit and then go to a short string at low brace straight away.

Don't heat treat it, obviously. Instead, pike it 1½" per limb. You can always pike it another inch, if needed. Looking at the current tiller, I think you should take equal lengths of both limbs. The right limb is actually bending a bit more than the left limb. Pike it first, but I'm guessing you'll need to scrape the inner 1/3 of the left limb to match the right limb. Make sure the back is pristine and the corners are rounded at this point (I can't judge that from the pics).

[Eastman]

In that first pic I posted the bow was braced 6'' I guess I forgot to mention that I only used the long string to get to brace, but I'll definitely use your advice DarkSoul and just floor tiller and then go to a low brace.

Progress on the bow: I shortened it 2'' on each tip and fitted the horn nocks when the tiller looked fine. I screwed up getting a good fit for the horn, so I had to redo the taper on the tips. Long story short, the bow is 74'' t2t drawing a tad over 70# @31'' . I touched up the tiller and I'm quite happy with my efforts and I hope to make a better one next time round. Pictures to follow!

[Peter-t123]

it wont take you two years to draw a bow of over 100lb

[Eastman]

We visited my grandparents' farm and I took the bow along to shoot it in. Man I like this bow! It's the heaviest bow i've ever made and I like the way it shoots.It's probably like 69# or so @31'' (with Springbuck horn nocks). I did a bunch of flight shooting and long range roving at anthills. It shoots a 31'' arrow weighing 850 grains between 140-150m so i'm real happy with that. Excuse the rain droplets on the bow in the pics, it was raining all weekend. Thanks for looking.