Osage Bendy Tiller Check and Misc questions (Pics Added)

[BarredOwl]

Stats are 55" nock to nock, 1 3/8" wide middle 2/3 tapering to a little over 1/2" nocks for now.   It is pulled just almost to the 20" mark in the photo.  My scale was hitting 50 lbs when it was at the 20" mark.  I am not wanting to go below 45 lbs after it is all shot in.     I am pretty happy with it so far since this is my first attempt with osage and 3rd bow ever.  I am wanting to get all the draw length out of it that I can.  I am hoping for 27".  I know that is right up against what is recommended based on length of the bow.  I am willing to stop at 26 if it starts taking excessive set.   

My questions are.  What is the best way to maintain my tiller and take a little weight off to get to my draw length goal. 

I also am thinking I will flip the tips slightly.  Should I do that now? Should I have done it already?  and what is the most risk free method (dry heat, steam) to avoid checks or other issues at this point.   

Also what is a good radius for slightly flipped tip?

[BarredOwl]

Top limb is to the right and or up in all photos.

[ajooter]

I think it looks great man...very similar dimensions to one I just made.

[okie64]

Your tiller looks great. Take even full length scrapes off both limbs to bring the weight down and check it often, like every 15 scrapes or so depending on how sharp your scraper is. It looks like a good candidate for flipped tips since you have kept the outer limbs fairly stiff. I use a heat gun for flipping tips on osage but do be careful and go slow or you can get some cracks. A one gallon paint can is a pretty good radius for mildly flipped tips.

[George Tsoukalas]

I'd leave the handle area alone and scrape all along both limbs. Count the scrapes and check weight and tiller often.
Jawge

[okie64]

Heres a link to one I built last summer with mildly flipped tips.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,47338.0.html

[hedgeapple]

It's looking good. I agree that the handle doesn't need any more scraping, at least for right now.  The bottom limb (left limb) has a positive tiller, it's stronger, which isn't a bad thing.  But there is a stiff spot in the bottom limb that I would address.  When I get to the last 4-6 inches of the tillering process, I like to tiller from my hand more and from the tillering tree less.  Use a mirror or take pictures to do this.  That way I get a better feel as to what the bow looks like when I'm shooting it.

Second stiff spot is near the handle of the bottom limb.  I wouldn't touch that just yet, maybe get another couple inches of draw first.

[BarredOwl]

Thanks George.  If I stay away the handle 3" each way from center with the scraper will that be sufficient?

Thanks Okie.  I remember seeing that bow when you posted it.  I guess I just need to gut it up and go for 27" if you are getting 26" out of that one.   Mine will pull hunting duty too if it stays together.  Got a pile of dogwood shoot drying that should be ready for this fall. 

How much weight should I expect to lose, if any, after the first 100-200 shots?

[BarredOwl]

Thanks Hedgeapple. Our post's must have passed each other in cyberspace.  I had already been using a mirror actually and just put it on the tree so I could take photos.  It looked better on the tree than I thought it would to be honest.  I just couldn't make up my mind while looking in the mirror.  I really thought my bottom limb was weaker than top when looking in the mirror.  I will pester the heck out of my daughter to snap photos of me drawing till I get to where I am headed and use the tree more for taking weight and draw length measurements.  I still have a hard time "seeing tiller" unless I am looking at a photo. 

[hedgeapple]

Mirrors are tough for me to use because my eye is at a different angle.  Photos allow for that "flat" look at the tiller.  I use a camera with a timer on a tripod.  Yes, it slow work taking a picture, downloading the image then going back to the shop to tiller.  But, I feel when I get to the last couple inches it's time well spent.

The bow looks good, you should be able to hit you mark.

For "the what I would do" comments:  27" draw at 55" is going to start pinching your fingers with the string when you draw the bow.  I'd flip the tips a little to reduce the angle for the string pinch.  At this point ( some will disagree, and I welcome that so you know you have more options), I would heat in a little reflex and heat temper the belly.  But, be prepared, your tiller is likely to change a little if you do this.  BUT, I WOULD ADDRESS THE FLAT SPOTS BEFORE I DID THE REFLEX AND TEMPERING.

[bubby]

Instead of taking still pics take video and you can watch it move without downloading anything even most phones have video

[bubbles]

Instead of taking still pics take video and you can watch it move without downloading anything even most phones have video

+1. And my phone allows me to take a picture of any frame of the video, which is how I get my FD pics.

[George Tsoukalas]

BarredOwl, I would leave  2" on either side of center alone. Jawge

[bradsmith2010]

looking good,, keep in mind the true shape of the wood wont reveal itself till you get to full draw and shoot it a bit,,, then some fine tuning may be needed,, nice bow

[BarredOwl]

Well here's what I have after scraping and scraping off and on all weekend.  I think my bottom limb is a little weak (maybe a lot weak but I hope it's close).  The bottom limb appears to have taken more set when un-braced so I am assuming I pulled it too far as some point without noticing the top limb was getting stiffer than the bottom.  My flipped tips ended up being more "kinked" than flipped and they have lost a little of the original bend so far.  I am guessing it is near the upper 40's -50 lbs at 25".  I stopped there because I guess the way I grip a bendy shortens up my draw length some and I was starting to get some set. The tips are behind the handle about 1/4" just after unbraced and settle back to 1" ahead of the handle in a half hour.   I have put about 50 or so shots through it and am satisfied with the performance.  The difference between osage and the hackberry I have worked so far is pretty significant.  It should have plenty of zip to stick a deer. 

Any final suggestions on where it needs a little work still are welcome and appreciated.