working on new shag hickory bow any help is appreciated

[birdpointlightstring32]

Shag hickory 55 3\4 length . straight limb is 27 inches and reflexed limb is 28 3\4 . same width from center to midlimb which is 11 inches. Then width tapered to 1\2 inch. Thickness tapering done as well. Ready to align limbs before tillering. I was thinking about steaming handle area it is 3\4 inch thick then next two inches taper to 5/8. Does steaming handle to align tips work better than a heat gun to solve same problem? My reflex may cause some tillering challenges. Any help appreciated.

[Eric Krewson]

Hickory will move with dry heat but has a tendency to revert back to its original shape unless you over correct a good bit.

I have about 5 or 6 handle corrections in one hickory bow blank handle before I finally got the dang thing to align.

I haven't tried steam on hickory.

[George Tsoukalas]

I've had more success with dry heat on hickory than I have with steam.
Tillering is easier if both limbs match reflex.
Why not reflex that other limb a bit?
Jawge

[Drewster]

With a stave that short, I assume you're planning to do a bendy handle bow.  Keep your limbs as wide as you can, especially for that length bow.  I would use dry heat to reflex the limbs to match one another as Jawge suggested.  I would then floor tiller and tiller with the long string until I could low brace it about three inches.  Then you can better determine about your string alignment.  I would use steam on the handle section if needed to make corrections for string alignment, but not until you get well into the tillering process.  Do not narrow the tips any more until you have it tillered.  You can make some alignment adjustments by thinning the tips in the direction needed.  Hope this helps.

[bradsmith2010]

I have made bows with one limb reflex and the other straight,, it is not that hard to tiller,,but I think as Jawge said starting with the same shape may make it a bit easier,,,I usually put the limb with most reflex on the top,,, back when I started making bows,, alot of guys thought that steaming or heating the wood had a negative effect on the wood,,,,, so I made alot of bows just like they came out of the stave,,,good practice for sure,, but a little heat can make life alot easier,,

[bowandarrow473]

I would just align the lims and tiller frome there.

[birdpointlightstring32]

Thank you everyone for help. I am going to steam bend handle to align tips after tillering and tiller limbs as they are. Tbb 1 tillering chapter says to reduce strong limb entire length. With long string do I then just make sure limbs are same distance down on tillering board at 10 to 12 inches as tbb suggest? I also reduced handle thickness as well.

[birdpointlightstring32]

Tillering board pictures