what happens when?

[stringstretcher]

When you start a bow......lets say that I want my bow to finish at 50lbs @ 26".  Knowing that on a good design bow, the average is about 3 lbs per inch.  So during the tillering of a bow, stave or laminated, I never pull the bow past 60 lbs @ 28".  Notice the difference there.   60 lbs,,,,,,stop.......60 lbs stop.  Now in the final tillering and sanding I get to bow to be 50@ 26.  What problems does this cause or does it help to do it like this.  My way of thinking is that I have stressed the wood to 60 lbs, but will never pull it to that or as long a draw as the 28". Or should the bow be worked right the 50lb mark @26 and not pull it to the 60??

[Hillbilly]

If I want a 50# bow, I try to not pull it past that during tillering if I can help it. Doing so repeatedly can cause more set and strain. I do usually tiller my bows out an inch or two past my drawlength just to make sure that they're going to hold together, and so they're prepared when that gorilla-armed cousin picks my bow up and draws it back past his ear.....

[stringstretcher]

Hillbilly.  That is what I try to do, but have to make that a higher poundage to start with than I will end with.  And what I get is a lot of string follow. Thats what I am trying to figure out.  Even though the bow was never pulled past 60 lbs, that is about where it ends up when I get my weight of 50@ 26.

[Dano]

Maybe your problem is moisture, do you have a hot box to keep your wood dry?

[stringstretcher]

No Dano I do not have a hot box, but the wood used in this bow has be inside for about 3 years in a controlled enviroment.  But I could be moisture.  Just seems like a lot fo loss.......3 inches of reflex, and the 3 inches of follow.....way to much for me

[Dano]

So your "controlled environment" keeps wood at 35 % RH? Moisture plays a big roll in any thing to do with wood, I don't want to preach, just bringing up a point.

[stringstretcher]

Did not take it as preaching at all, and no it does not keep it at 35 percent.  I have made self bows that did not take near this much set and pretty much worked them down the same way.  Just trying to figure out why this combo of wood lost that much.  I am going to start making some bamboo flooring bows, and from what I have read, they take a lot of set real quick.  So I am looking for options and suggestions on how to make these work without haveing such follow......on second though,,,,maybe I need to be preached to......lol

[Justin Snyder]

If I want a 50# bow, I try to not pull it past that during tillering if I can help it. Doing so repeatedly can cause more set and strain. I do usually tiller my bows out an inch or two past my drawlength just to make sure that they're going to hold together, and so they're prepared when that gorilla-armed cousin picks my bow up and draws it back past his ear.....

Never ever ever pull past the final weight if you ask me.  Justin