Author Topic: Warbow tillering question  (Read 4357 times)

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Offline popaoandrei

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Warbow tillering question
« on: March 10, 2014, 02:51:37 pm »
Greetings.New here and new to elb's.
I have a question and i hope some of you can clear this up for me.
In the process of tillering an elb: do you tiller it dead center(bow center corresponds to the tree center(10cm) and the string is pulled along the tree middle line) get the limbs bend symmetrical and let the bottom limb be just a little stiffer or do you place the bow on the tree bellow the center(bottom limb,where your hand would be(10cm), and pull the string from the actual center of the bow, thus resulting a shorter bottom limb and letting this limb be a little stiffer)? I hoped i made my question clear.
Thank you in advanced.
“It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish.”

Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2014, 03:03:32 pm »
I always support the bow on the tiller where it will rest in the hand (at the centre) and I draw the string from where it will be pulled with the fingers (1" above centre) .
this can make the bow appear skewed to start with, but it is how it will be used.
Have a look at my blog to follow the tillering of several ELBs and Warbows.
Google Bowyers diary to find it.
This post shows what that 1" of difference in the drawing point can make.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/tillering-symmetry.html
Del
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Offline popaoandrei

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Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2014, 03:51:48 pm »
Thank you for the swift reply.I'm posting this pic based on your instructions. Did i get it right?
Thank you for the blog link, quite useful.
“It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish.”

Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2014, 04:09:10 pm »
Yes, that's correct.
If you observe when you first nock an arrow and start to draw a bow it does tilt (upper limb leans towards you at first).
On most of the video clips of me pulling the bow on the tiller  you will see it starts off tilted and then evens up as it is drawn.
Note the bow is free to rock on the tiller. I think it is a big mistake to clamp a bow on the tiller.
Del
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2014, 05:23:16 pm »
Del, are you saying you always put the handle right at the center of the bow? Or that you place the bow on the "center of the handle" on the tree?
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2014, 06:05:29 pm »
Del, are you saying you always put the handle right at the center of the bow? Or that you place the bow on the "center of the handle" on the tree?
I put the 4" grip with 3" below centre and 1" above.
I support the bow at centre on the tiller because I feel most of the weight of the bow is taken on the base of the thumb which presses pretty much just below the arrow pass at the center of the bow, some people may grip it differently using the heel of the hand...
each to his own.
Del
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Offline adb

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Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2014, 06:14:52 pm »
So, you're picking top and bottom limb before you begin tillering, yes?

Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2014, 07:11:04 pm »
So, you're picking top and bottom limb before you begin tillering, yes?
Yes, but I'll sometimes swap it round half way through if say the lower limb is looking weak. That's what I did in that blog entry linked in the earlier post. At the tillering stage the arrow pass is jsut a pencil mark so it can be ignored, moved or whatever.
Del
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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2014, 10:25:41 pm »
Thanks for explaining that Del. What I do anymore is (if I am gonna put a handle on a bow) is put the handle just a smudge over the center, and the arrow pass about 1/2" above center. I might try your way to see if it works better. Thanks.  :)
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline popaoandrei

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Re: Warbow tillering question
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2014, 09:12:08 am »
Indeed.Thank you for all the info. :)
“It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish.”