String Follow OR Set

[wvfknapper]

Ok I have heard string follow and set mentioned as being different, whats the difference ? I always considered string follow and set the same 

Cornfused

wvflintknapper

[George Tsoukalas]

To me there is a minor distinction but they can be the same. A bow that follows the string actually takes the shape of a strung bow at least partially. I make a bow and start with a straight stave. It takes 2 inches of set or in this case string follow too-the limbs curve around and follow the string when unstrung. BUT let's  say I started working a stave with 3 inches of reflex. I end up with 1 inch of reflex. There is no string follow because the limbs do not follow the curvature of the strung bow because there is some reflex remaining. BUT there are  2 inches of set. Jawge

[DanaM]

Take a bow that has 2" of reflex to start after breaking it in it has 1" of deflex
it has taken 3" of set but only has 1" of string follow IMO

[stringstretcher]

What is the fastest way to create string follow or set? I built a bamboo backed, osage, ipe, osage, ipe lam bow.  When I glued it up I put 3" of reflex in the bow.  when the bow was pulling 60lbs at 27inches, I shot the bow in and it came to a perfectly flat bow....absolutely flat.  After I reduced the weight to what I wanted, 50lbs at 26" and shot it in, the bow now has 3 + inches of string follow in each limb.  What caused this and how or can I correct it?

[Dano]

First rule of selfbow makin': NEVER draw a bow past it's intended draw wieght, especially during the tiller process.

[stringstretcher]

Dano, if your answer was to my question, I know the rule very very well.....lol.....don't ask how I know that....hehehe..  That is why the bow started out to be a 60 lb bow and that is the poundage that I tested it through out the tillering.  I wante a heavy bow, but not that heavy......lol.......just not what I used to be......heheheh

[Marc St Louis]

Set can be defined as permanent deformation of the limbs from tillering and shooting in. String follow is a temporary deformation of the limbs that you get after unbracing the bow after use. String follow is reclaimed after being unbraced for an amount of time

[wvfknapper]

Thanks for all the info, I got it now 

wvflintknapper

[Sidewinder]

And so the $50.00 question is how do you eliminate set/string follow in the tillering process without inducecing reflex intially?  Am I correct in understanding that set is overly compressed belly fibers. If so does that mean that it ws bent too much in a certain area during tillering therby isolating the compression in a small section that was too thick and now its memory has been instilled with that position as a return point of reference?   Danny

[Justin Snyder]

And so the $50.00 question is how do you eliminate set/string follow in the tillering process without inducecing reflex intially?  Am I correct in understanding that set is overly compressed belly fibers. If so does that mean that it ws bent too much in a certain area during tillering therby isolating the compression in a small section that was too thick and now its memory has been instilled with that position as a return point of reference?   Danny

Can be caused by that.  Can be from just overstressing the woods ability, poor design. Exercising the limbs during tillering and lots of slow patient tillering are the best remedies. Take a little wood off then exercise a lot.  Justin

[Hillbilly]

Set always happens, because we're making our bows out of wood. A couple inches of it is normal during tillering. That's why so many people reflex staves before tillering. Set can be minimized, as Justin said, but IMO, it can't be completely eliminated unless you start building bows from something other than wood.

[adb]

IMO, any amount that the finished bow has not returned to its original profile, is string follow, or set. I think they are the same thing. If you start with a 3" reflexed stave, and it ends up with 1" of reflex after tillering, it has followed the string 2", or taken 2" of set. Just because an unbraced longbow has a straight profile, doesn't mean it hasn't taken any set. In fact, a bit (<2") of set, is a GOOD thing. The bow is much sweeter in the hand, has less hand shock,and is more forgiving to shoot. Don't sweat the set!!

[Sidewinder]

Don't sweat the set!!

I like that.  Danny

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Like George says,..."set happens"

[George Tsoukalas]

Manny, LOL, you beat me to it. Jawge