Lesson Learned...

[Josh B]

Yes sir! I do believe your diagnosis was correct.  That's quite a hinge.  I hate it when that happens!  I agree that your design was more than adequate.  For future reference, when you have one limb that is reflexed more than the other, put the reflexed limb on top.  Its easy to overthink that situation.  But when you break it down to tip deflection(how far the limb travels)  the limb that travels further to reach equilibrium with the other limb is the weaker limb.  I purposely induce a half inch more reflex in the upper limb so that I have the same effect as positive tiller and yet a symmetrical appearance at brace and full draw.  That is, I do that when I bother with such details.  Most of the time I just go with whatever the wood offers with no regard for symmetrical appearance.  I hope you get the next one dialed in on time for season. Josh

[blackhawk]

That's a hinge alright...next time post pics first so ya don't get a bunch of us saying it could be this or that and such n such....lol

Let me "guess"..in your rush you were rasping/scraping from handle down to limb thru the fade? Careful if you do this as most people have a tendency to put to much down pressure right thru that area where you are hinged...its best to rasp/scrape up to the handle and not down from the handle...not sure if that's how you caused it but always be mindful of your thickness taper...do you facet lines down the sides that follow the undulations of the back to reduce down too,so you don't go too far?

[Josh B]

One other point while we're talking hinges and tip deflection.  Ok, I'm the only one talking about it, but this is a good opportunity to cover another important point.  When your hinge right against the fade, the natural assumption is that limb is weaker than the other.   DON'T start reducing the other limb until that hinge is corrected.  Chances are the hinged limb is still the stronger limb.  The reason being that the closer the hinge is to the fade, the more tip deflection it causes.  Once you correct the hinge, the limb seems to stiffen up.   This is one of the many reasons why your first goal when you start tillering a bow is to get the limbs working properly.  Once that's accomplished  then you can start working it down towards target weight.  Josh

[rossfactor]

"DON'T start reducing the other limb until that hinge is corrected. Chances are the hinged limb is still the stronger limb."

That is some solid advice.

1+

Gabe

[tom sawyer]

Hickory is pretty bad about chrysalling.  Kind of unforgiving of design and tiller flaws.

[twisted hickory]

I had a nice hickory bow do the same thing. In my case the back had a small ridge running down it that ran off of the stave and another coming in the stave about 2 in below that. When the bow was dry it showed the tiller to be off very slightly. When the MC of the wood went up this summer it took on some ugly hinge look. So I just keep shooting her till she gives out.