Gizmo Advice

[Stick Bender]

Hi Fellas I made a tillering gizmo last week end & never used one before I have a osage rigid handle bow that the front profile is parallel to mid limb tapering in a pyramid fashion  to 7 in. strait statics  , I hope to get to brace this week end  &  read articles on using it but figured I would ask for advice here figuring guys with exsperience might have some pointers ?

[Badger]

When I use one I set it so it barely touches the bow then simply scrape away my pencil marks taking a little wood with it. I like to mark it while on the tree pulled  to about 15" roughly and the bow is already at proper brace height.

[Pat B]

I not only use a gizmo down the center of the limb but also down each side of the belly. If there is any twist in the limb the gizmo will tell you where to remove wood to correct that too.

[Knoll]

Keep in mind that gizmo is best suited for circular tiller.
It was a great addition to my tillering toolkit!

[burtonridr]

I not only use a gizmo down the center of the limb but also down each side of the belly. If there is any twist in the limb the gizmo will tell you where to remove wood to correct that too.

Good to know : )

[Badger]

Keep in mind that gizmo is best suited for circular tiller.
It was a great addition to my tillering toolkit!

   This is correct, I found when I first started using the gizmo I was getting some handshock I had never gotten before. Now I tend to use it only in the early stages and the last several inches I can lower the weight by making the limb more elyptical by eye.

[Stick Bender]

Thanks guys I have been up sence 3:30 working on this bow should get to brace later on today or tomorrow it seems to be working well , but I'm heeding your warning Steve I know you posted before on the subject I think I'm only going to use it to brace or a hair over I have some nice reflex in this stave that I'm trying to hold on to , don't like to keep it pulled longer then 15 seconds after brace

[bow101]

I'm just a simple guy,  the gizmo did not work me so I use this method.   Seems to work ok.

[burtonridr]

similar to what bow101 showed above, you can do the same thing as you increase your draw on the tillering tree. However, instead of measuring from the string to the bow, measure from the ground to the bow at intervals down each limb and compare one limb to the other.

[Springbuck]

Also, as mentioned, if the bow is not intended to have circular tiller, remember you still have to know what to look for.

Use it to look for side to side wiggles or twist, as Pat said.

Use it to compare THIS section of the limb to the same section on the opposite limb.

Use it to show they the limb is bending consistently where it should, and to prove that X section is bending less than Y section, as it should. Like, no marks, no marks, no mark, then a mark, and now I have to stop or I'll break the lead.......

It also helps you find small bumps or high spots.  If the pencil is dragging and suddenly lifts at one corner, check out why.

I carry a crayon these days and where the pencil made a mark, I color the whole area.  Then I scrape until the crayon is gone.

If you make one, you might as well make one long one and one short one.