*Updated pics and tiller* Sudbury Bow - Tiller help please

[BryanR]

Thanks DC.   

Great pics DBar.  Thanks for posting. 

Looks like I'm starting over.

[PaulN/KS]

Also remember that the Sudbury bow is hickory which can be a more "forgiving" wood than oak.

[half eye]

Bryan,
     I know your original question was specifically aimed at tiller. There are some things for you to consider if you are going start over. I believe that you made reff. to the "encyclopedia and page 34.
If you wish to assume that these drawings are accurate please take note of the following:
1: measuring from the center of the grip, the limb with the pin knock is nearly 20% longer than the other with the carved fineal.
2. The longer limb is wider than the shorter one.
3. The tips are of different thicknesses.....meaning the taper angle is different from limb to limb.
4. If the drawing of the permanent set is accurate then the bow had a circular tiller like Gun Docs' bow. How do I know that? even though the limbs have different amounts of set both ( in my opinion) show even bends throughout @ one.
5. You already noted the BACK is trapped and not the belly.

So the "old-guy" is voting for a circular tiller....at 67+" length the tiller will look like an English Longbow, unless the draw length is over 30" and I sort of doubt that based on my Eastern Woodland research.

Hope you find that useful, sir.
rich

[Danzn Bar]

I guess making a replica is one thing, I just hope that Indian they got the bow off of in 1660 was a master bow maker and not a rookie like me.   

I'm not into making exact one of a kind replica's.  I try to take into consideration the intent of the replica design and make a good shooter out of it.  But that's just my way of doing things, different strokes for different folks.
Respectfully,
DBar

[half eye]

Danzen,
       Absolutely correct sir !!!  I dont make exact replicas either, and I'm pretty sure the native bow makers did not use rules, straight edges etc. I make mine with finger width, palm, and "span" measurements.
      What I was trying to say is that with the differences in the original, the permanent set was different BUT the tiller was aiming at being circular.
      I meant no disrespect to your bow, sir. It is indeed "in the spirit of" as are my bows so I apologize if my post even suggested that, it was not my intent.
rich

[Danzn Bar]

NO..No  Rich.. no need to apologize to me!  I was just warning Bryan to take the dimensions of replicas with a grain of salt.  I have lots  of respect for you and your bows Rich and I welcome criticism if I'm wrong......
Thanks
Bill

[PatM]

Does the Encyclopedia show all the dimensions? I have seen the detailed measurements and was pretty sure the upper limb is just slightly longer and the lower limb a touch wider as you might expect a tree stave to  verge towards.

[George Tsoukalas]

PatM,

It gives the total length as 67 1/8". the width of the top limb as 1 7/8",  and the width of the bottom limb as 1 3/4". The belly is flat and trapped. The limb structure turns  to oval towards the nocks. The handle is 1 3/ 3/16" thick and  15/16" wide. Bottom nock is 15/16" thick and 3/4" wide while the top is 3/4' thick and 3/4" wide. The design of each of the nocks is different  probably to account for stringing.

This is a pretty advanced design. I think the bowyer would known the proper way to tiller it.
Looks like the wider part got more of the bend. Drawings show the unstrung profile.

I remember reading that the bow may have been left strung.

Jawge

[smoke]

The Sudbury was on display at the Peabody about 5 years ago when I visited.

[PatM]

PatM,

It gives the total length as 67 1/8". the width of the top limb as 1 7/8",  and the width of the bottom limb as 1 3/4". The belly is flat and trapped. The limb structure turns  to oval towards the nocks. The handle is 1 3/ 3/16" thick and  15/16" wide. Bottom nock is 15/16" thick and 3/4" wide while the top is 3/4' thick and 3/4" wide. The design of each of the nocks is different  probably to account for stringing.

This is a pretty advanced design. I think the bowyer would known the proper way to tiller it.
Looks like the wider part got more of the bend. Drawings show the unstrung profile.

I remember reading that the bow may have been left strung.

Jawge

Seems likely that the bow was made as near identical from limb to limb as a person could make it without actually using calipers.
 The nocks are 5/16 and 3/8 in thickness and the back is trapped, not the belly as has been mentioned.

[BryanR]

At the beginning of this thread, my tiller...  Well, there was none.  After several replies, I realized I trapped the belly instead of the back.  Since I needed the practice, I cut the ends and made new nocks in order to flip the stave back to belly.

Three weeks later, the tiller is looking pretty good.  The bow ended up being 69" ttt, 28#, 27" draw.  It's holding a respectable 3.5" set. :-). The up side, there's not a tool mark on her.

I was surprised how much material came off during tillering.  Learned a lot.  Wood does bend.  I can tiller.  Slow down.  Even had a twist that got worked out.  Didn't expect it to shoot well, but I can group from 20 yards.  The arrows are so slow, you can see the arc as they reach the target.

[Blaflair2]

Looks a lot better now man! The left outter is doing something funny

[sleek]

Left outter, its a hinging!  Not too badly though. Now, get a bamboo strip an glue it on the trapped back. I got a strip I will send you if you cant find any. How long is the bow?