Re: First attempt at a R/D Osage...Update Tiller Check!

[Cloudfeather]

Started working on this stave a couple weeks ago. Had some really nice snake on one limb but the left and right twist/undulations were just too much. A half dozen heat treats later and she was all untwisted. Was a bit much reflex right out of the handle on both limbs, so a few more heat sessions later and I'm left with a R/D design.

Never done one in this style before. Anything I should expect with the tiller? More bed in the outer limbs or is that just an optical illusion?

[ajooter]

Yikes!! And sweet!!! I just posted about tillering twist out of a stave can't wait to see you try and tame the babe!! Good luck man!

[Cloudfeather]

Thanks. I corrected most of the twist with heat and weight. It has a very slight left and right twist around the snaky area. Hoping it won't be *too* bad, lol.

[Pat B]

Interesting stave. I have a similar one I've been studying for a while now.
 R/D designs are hard for me to see good tiller so I wish you luck on this one. It will be tricky so take it slow and study it more than removing wood. 

[bradsmith2010]

very nice stave,,, if you can keep the taper even that will be the key,, cause I dont think the tiller will "look" right,, you will just have to be confident that you are making each part of the limb work evenly,, if the bow stays strung for you,, and does not break at full draw,, I think you will have success,,
I would be inclined to rawhide back it to add a bit of strength to the edges in the  curvy parts,, but I am a fan of backing bows that might have an issue,,

[Springbuck]

  I took 6 staves out of a bigger BVL tree two years ago and every one of those staves looked just like that. Those side to side dips like a dirtbike track drove me crazy.  I learned a lot and got one bow out of it.

 Looks like you are off to a good start, though.

[Cloudfeather]

Ok, I've got it at brace height and am getting into the tiller. I'm pretty sure that I need to get the undulated area on the right(upper llimb) bending and some more bend in the outer limbs. This is at brace and at almost 20" draw.

I'd appreciate any input from the R/D guys out there. Thanks.

[bradsmith2010]

i think getting the outers working more,,looking great

[jeffp51]

I am no expert--not even close, but to me it looks like all the bend on the right side is coming from that first undulation--like a giant hinge--but it is so hard to tell with all that wonkiness.  I hope you can pull this off--that is a wild stave you are working with there.

[Pat B]

Get more outer limb bending and don't touch the inner 1/3 until the end of the tillering process. Most of the stress is on the inner limb anyway so save that part for last.  Also, try not to over draw the bow or you will end up with excessive set.

[bradsmith2010]

also I might suggest that you leave the parts that are the most twisted,, a bit stiffer,, and let the more stable parts of the limbs do a little bit more of the work,,

[PEARL DRUMS]

Good luck. I cant offer any good advice on that one other than you probably should have let it be a typical flat bow. When you have such tight undulations and so many you have no idea where it is or isn't bending. The tips may be getting lower, but from where?

[bushboy]

If it was my bow I wo.uld use the localized steam method to try to tame that beast a bit.heat it till it has good steam and quickly clamp it in place,let cool and hit it with a heat gun to lock it in place.you could use leather shims to remove some twist at the same time.just my 0.02$

[Cloudfeather]

I've got her almost done. Judging from pictures of other r/d style bows, I think I've got the tiller pretty close. I'm going to heat treat the belly lightly and finish the last bit of minute adjustments. Should have pics up in the next couple of days.

[bradsmith2010]

if its almost done, ,how does it shoot,,