Tillering An Elm ELB?

[ozark caveman]

Hey guy's! This is my first ELB. Should I put the horn nocks on before I tiller it?

Thanks

[Rich Saffold]

I'd get the tiller  past brace height, and tips shaped to fit the nocks first.

[M-P]

Hi,  I haven't made a lot of ELBs, but I tend cut some temporary nocks in the tips for use in tillering.   Then I glue on the tips and make final adjustments to the tiller.  I've read that that sequence was widely used in the past.  One of the main reasons is that a bow that is slightly under weight once the proper tiller is achieved, can be shortened to raise draw weight, without ruining all the work of the fancy horn nocks.  I'd like to say I'm such a stellar bowyer that my bows always come out right the first time, but I'd be lying.  The temporary nocks tend to be obliterated when the ends are shaped to fit into the horn tips.
Ron

[ozark caveman]

Thanks guy's!

[adb]

When you're tillering an ELB, if you put the horn nocks on first, you risk ending up with a whip tillered bow. To fit the nocks, you have to bring the tips of the bow to a point, removing a fair bit of material. I often use a tillering string with leather boots on each end. I get it 3/4 tillered, and then install the nocks.

[SimonUK]

abd, do you have a pic or a description of those leather boots? I've often wondered about doing that... it must be similar to a stringer I guess.

[Badger]

Something I do on elbs very often is to just glue on temporary nock overlays, I cut a double nock groove on one of them so i can use a long string to help me brace the bow. If I like the bow when finished I grind off the nocks and install horn nocks if I choose. Steve

[ozark caveman]

Could you cut temporary nocks in the tips and when you have it close rasp the nocks out and put horn nocks on?

[M-P]

Caveman,  That is exactly what I was trying to describe in my earlier post.  I also use a tillering string with boots on the ends early in the tillering.  Here's a photo of my tillering string ( with boots.)

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